Humpback whales are known to undertake the longest seasonal migrations of any mammal, however many aspects of their movement ecology remain unknown. While strong philopatry has been observed for breeding and feeding grounds globally, it remains unclear if maternally directed fidelity or individually learned behaviours determine the whales migration routes. Hervey Bay is an important stop-over site for approximately one third of east-Australian population, in particular mothers with new calves. Genetic studies on this population are scant, resulting in limited understanding of whether whales that routinely stop-over in Hervey Bay are doing so based on a return to natal grounds, or through learned behaviours. Here, we evaluate the relatedness and kinship of humpback whales observed in Hervey Bay, examining DNA from historic (2001 and 2003) and contemporary (2022) sloughed skin samples collected during their southern migration. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sequencing was used to determine how closely related this population are. The degree of kinship among the population was compared between years and across each season to examine change over time. Results will assist in understanding important genetic factors contributing to migration patterns, timing and social and familial relationships throughout migatory routes to support future conservation management of this population.