First responders on the scene commencing bucketing and setting up pumps to keep the whales cool and wet
© NPSRFirst responders on the scene commencing bucketing and setting up pumps to keep the whales cool and wet
It was a case of misadventure for the two humpback whales who tragically died after beaching themselves off Fraser Island, said a whale tour operator.

Blue Dolphin owner Peter Lynch said it was rare for whales to venture into that part of the Great Sandy Strait.

"It's a shallow, narrow area that's difficult for vessels to navigate," Mr Lynch said.

"There's a few whales that go down that way each season."

With the rapid increase in whale numbers, Mr Lynch said it was only expected that there would also be more whale deaths from accidents.

There is estimated to be 27,000 whales migrating this season, which is double what the number was just years ago.

"As the population increases, more and more will die naturally and more will die from fatality events like being hit by ships," he said.

"And more will die from human effect like being trapped in fishing gear."

UPDATE TUESDAY 9.30 AM: Rangers will today remove the carcasses of two whales that beached themselves off Fraser Island.

A Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service spokesman has confirmed the pair died overnight.

"It's a matter of securing their carcasses so they don't float away and become a hazard," the spokesman said.

Environment protection rangers worked frantically last night to rescue two beached whales stuck at Sheridan Flats, between Fraser Island and the mainland.

The rangers tried to refloat the whales on high tide yesterday about 3.30pm but failed, with one whale moving just 100 metres.

The pair was spotted by rangers at 9.30am Monday while on their way to undertake a planned burn.

The department said the 10m and 12m humpbacks were stranded in a similar place to where a pod of killer whales were successfully freed in 2013.

Last night the QPWS rangers were trying to comfort the whales during low tide before again trying to refloat them at the next high tide.