A 20-tonne sperm whale carcass has been towed along the New South Wales South Coast, prompting urgent shark warnings for local beachgoers. Due to its remote location with no vehicle access, authorities had to wait for suitable conditions to conduct the removal by sea.
The removal operation commenced at dawn, with tugboats transporting the whale over 20 kilometres south to Bellambi Beach, where it was eventually lifted from the water and transported to the Whytes Gully waste facility in Wollongong. The operation attracted a crowd of onlookers, although many had to leave quickly due to the overpowering smell of the decomposing whale.
Darren Malone, a local resident, estimated that around 60 people gathered to watch the process, only to be overwhelmed by the stench. The situation has drawn attention to the coastline from Stanwell Park to Bellambi Point, as the dead whale has reportedly attracted several sharks to the area. Seven sharks were observed in the waters between Woonona and East Corrimal, leading the duty officer to evacuate swimmers.
Brendon Neilly from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service described the removal as a significant undertaking, stating that the whale’s size and the challenging logistics involved contributed to the complexity of the operation. In response to the shark sightings, a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) drone has been deployed for aerial surveillance, and beach signage has been put up to advise the public to stay out of the water until at least Monday.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation to ensure public safety in the aftermath of this event.