Ningaloo Marine Park in Western Australia is trialling swimming experiences with humpback whales, which the government hopes will turn the natural attraction into a major tourist destination.

Through Australia’s winter months, an estimated 30,000 humpback whales head up the west coast to their annual breeding ground near the Great Barrier Reef on a journey that covers 16,000km (9,900m).

With the whale species on the rebound, the state government is running a three month trial at the marine park in Exmouth to determine whether such an operation is viable as a permanent tourist attraction.

Humpback whale swims have the potential to be a big money-earner for Ningaloo, with its existing whale shark swims injecting AU$6m (US$4.6m, €4.1m, £3.5m) into the local economy every year.

Snorkelers and divers will have to obey a strict set of rules while diving, with a 300m (984ft) exclusion zone around any humpback whale and no more than 10 swimmers allowed in the water at one time. Tourists will also not be allowed to swim with females caring for calves.

The Department of Parks and Wildlife is monitoring and evaluating the experiences, using electronic monitoring systems already installed on vessels for whale shark tours.

Swimming with humpbacks is only possible in a few places worldwide, being introduced on Australia’s east coast in Queensland last year, with recognised tours also happening in Tonga and Mexico.