Whales spotted frolicking off Sydney coast

Three whales have been spotted frolicking off the New South Wales coast.

Video captured by a 9NEWS chopper today shows the pod of whales near Bilgola, north of Sydney.

The whales can be seen surfacing several times and slapping their tails as they move through white-tipped waters.

Whales head north to warmer waters from mid-May to July for breeding and to give birth.

In August and September, adult and juvenile whales begin returning south towards the Antarctic, while calves and their mothers make the journey south in October and November.

With humpbacks now estimated to be returning to pre-whaling levels, whale watchers are expecting a bumper season in 2017.