Drone footage shows humpback baby rolling on the ocean surface

It's easy to think that whales splash around as a way of showing off, but drone footage shot off NSW shows one humpback baby dancing as if no-one is watching.

Gold Coast man Vern Cornfield set out to Cabarita Point on the NSW-Queensland border on Friday morning in the hope of spotting some migrating whales.

When he saw a mother and baby far off the shore he put his drone into action.

The close-up footage shows the baby humpback doing multiple barrel rolls on the surface of the water as its mother watches on.

"He was just loving life, the baby whale," Mr Cornfield told ninemsn.

"We think it's about a year old."

Mr Cornfield was able to follow the whales for about 1.6km with his drone.