Coogee and Maroubra beaches closed after whale carcass washes up in Sydney

Coogee and Maroubra beaches in Sydney have been closed until further notice after a whale carcass washed up between them, Randwick City Council said on Thursday, 22 October.

The whale's heavily decomposed body was found on Thursday morning at Lurline Bay, a rocky cove surrounded by cliffs in Sydney's eastern suburbs. It is believed to be a juvenile humpback. The carcass was first spotted on Wednesday near Manly, on the city's northern beaches, where attempts were made to tow it out to sea. Those attempts left pieces of rope attached to the whale.

The council said whale carcasses are known to attract sharks, and it closed the two nearby beaches to protect people in the water. It has encouraged residents and visitors to avoid the Lurline Bay area and to follow directions from lifeguards and authorities. The council's lifeguard reports page lists the beach as closed due to the carcass.

As a precaution, the council has contacted Surf Life Saving, the beach safety organisation, about introducing extra drone patrols. The council said it had received no reports so far of increased shark activity.

Randwick Mayor Dr Clare Willington said the area had been cordoned off so the whale could be left in peace and kept away from public attention.

The council has said there are no plans to remove the whale. Its staff are working with the Gamay Rangers on what it describes as a culturally and environmentally sensitive approach.

Gamay Rangers manager Robert Cooley said the whale is an important totem animal, a creature with spiritual significance, for the local Bidjigal people. He said earlier cases in which beached animal carcasses were taken to landfill had distressed his community.