Close encounter: mother and calf whales stun surfers at Sydney's Manly beach

Images show dozens of surfers about 10 metres from whales, which migrate up and down the Australian coast

A whale calf, closely followed by its mother, came within metres of surfers and swimmers at Manly beach, in Sydney's north, on Sunday afternoon.

The pair were initially identified as humpbacks by onlookers, but marine wildlife experts later said they were most likely southern rights, which also migrate north to calve, then return to colder waters for the southern summer.