Stunning video shows humpback whales playing near boat

Whale watchers were treated to a stunning sight of a group of humpback whales swimming near their boat on the Gold Coast in Australia.

Tammie Jaeger and her husband Dave were running a whale watching charter when they spotted three humpbacks far away in the distance.

The whales swam right up to the side of the boat when they turned off the motor.

“It’s beautiful when they expose their belly, it means they are comfortable to be near us,” Ms Jaeger said.

A pair of the humpback whales were even filmed playing together while swimming underneath the boat, just inches away from the tour group.

Humpback whales can grow up to 16 metres long and are found along the coasts of oceans across the world.

Due to their size, they have few predators but killer whales are known to prey on humpback calves. The mothers will desperately try to fight off the orcas.