THERE have been plenty of stories this week about marine visitors to the shores of our city as shark sightings closed Newcastle beaches again on Wednesday.
But no one is talking about the other guests sneaking in on the tides into the city's very scenic drain system.
While the gleam of a swimming school of fish can frequently be spotted in Cottage Creek around Newcastle West, Newcastle Herald was surprised to see a slow-paced jellyfish making its way home from Marketown on Wednesday.
What could have easily been dismissed as a white plastic bag, the jellyfish was enjoying a dip further upstream.
Jelly blubbers are known to frequent harbours or estuaries and this one was no doubt visiting the city's stormwater system from the harbour. Jelly blubbers are able to swim by pulsing their bell, which propels them forward in the water. This one had already propelled itself on a tour of Honeysuckle and Hunter Street.
The people at Hunter Water will be happy to hear of the marine encounter after installing a "living seawall" in Cottage Creek back in 2022. The 90 3D printed tiles that act as artificial structures were installed to promote biodiversity and encourage aquatic habitat to thrive.
If the jelly blubber can get itself upstream, we wonder what other marine creatures might find themselves en route to The Junction?
SEA CREATURE TOURISM
This is not the only time Newcastle has experienced a sea creature encounter, with the annual whale migration going right past our shores and visitors of the seal variety becoming an annual occurrence around the Nobbys breakwall.
But do you remember July 2016 when there was a very exclusive little bachelor party held under the cover of darkness?
The party animals were pulling all-nighters engorging themselves before taking over some of the city's prime locations to sleep it off all day.
A mini-colony of male New Zealand fur seals took squatters rights on the Nobbys breakwall and around the Cowrie Hole and Newcastle Baths, feasting on fish and enjoying themselves.
At the time ORRCA president Ronny Ling said the seal "bachelor party'' had been created when some immature seals had followed a couple of old bulls to learn the ropes.
