Construction begins on Yalingbila Bibula, Minjerribah's whale exhibit and research pod

The northern entrance to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island)'s iconic North Gorge Walk will be temporarily closed on February 3, to allow for construction to commence on a new landmark whale exhibit and research pod.

Yalingbila Bibula, or "Whale on the Hill" is an immersive cultural and eco-tourism experience for Mulumba (Point Lookout) that will share the stories of the island's Traditional Custodians, the Quandamooka People, and their connection to the magnificent humpback whales that can frequently be spotted in the vast ocean beyond.

Suspended within the exhibit will be a 15-metre whale skeleton, the only complete humpback whale skeleton on display in the Southern Hemisphere. The whale itself inspired the concept of the exhibit when it beached itself on the island in 2011 and was seen as a positive omen by the local Indigenous people.

The tourist attraction will also include information on whales and their migration, along with Mulumba's role in international whale research and whaling politics. In the corner will also be a research pod for the University of Queensland, to record the sounds and songs of passing whales using an ocean-tethered microphone. Researchers and Quandamooka guides will frequently be on hand for visitors to chat to.

80 per cent of passing whale pods come within 5km of the shore, making Mulumba one of the best vantages for whale-watching in the world.

Until construction is completed by October 2021, vistors can expect occasional temporary closures of North Gorge Walk's northern entrance for short durations.

Find out how to spend the perfect 48 hours on Minjerribah here.