Science · Malabar whale carcassMalabar whale carcass moved onto higher sand as beach stays closedAired October 26, 2026 at 10:25 PM UTCWritten October 26, 2026 at 10:31 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:07Machinery has hauled the decomposing whale remains out of the water at Malabar0:10Beach.0:11The remains are now higher on the sand, and swimmers are still barred from the0:15beach.0:15Council is arranging contractors to dispose of them.0:18How far has the cleanup progressed, and when can swimmers return?0:21Council staff had planned to remove the remains on Tuesday morning.0:25Machinery has since moved them out of the water, while council arranges contractors0:29for proper disposal.0:30The work has reached the stage of moving the carcass onto higher sand.0:33Lifeguards close the beach because the decomposing carcass could attract sharks.0:36Randwick Council says they also barricaded the area to keep people safe.0:40The response restricts swimming at a familiar beach while crews deal with the0:44remains.0:44No shark sighting at Malabar has been reported.0:47The council's concern is that the remains could draw sharks into the area.0:50People coming to swim are facing a precautionary closure.0:53Strong currents carried the juvenile whale south from Lurline Bay to Malabar.0:57The animal was a humpback.0:58Its earlier landing was just north of Marubra Beach, along the same stretch of1:02coastline where Kogi also faced a precautionary swimming closure.1:05The carcass washed ashore at Lurline Bay on October twenty two.1:08Council fenced off the remains at Malabar late on October twenty-sixth.1:12By the next morning, October twenty-seven, at least two large pieces of the same1:15whale were floating against the shoreline.1:17The Lurline Bay landing prompted council to close both Marubra and Coogee beaches as1:22a precaution that Thursday.1:23Council staff and the indigenous ranger group Gamay Rangers responded.1:27The carcass was already badly decomposed, and its position made retrieval difficult.1:31Senior Gamay Ranger Rob Cooley initially favored letting nature take its course1:35because machinery couldn't readily reach the carcass.1:37By October twenty, three indigenous rangers were advocating towing it offshore1:41rather than sending it to landfill.1:43They described that as the respectful option.1:45Malabar resident Mark Joseph said he'd never seen a whale wash up on that beach in1:49his forty years living there.1:50His advice was direct.1:52My thoughts are, don't go swimming.1:54That's for sure, he said.1:55The carcass also had rope around one pectoral fin.1:58Cooley said it came from an earlier attempt to take the whale out to sea.2:01That happened after it was found off Sydney's northern beaches, before it reached2:04Lurline Bay.2:05At Malabar, machinery has moved the remains onto higher sand, but completed disposal2:10hasn't been confirmed.2:11The beach stays closed to swimmers for the rest of October '27 .2:15Council's broader instruction is closed until further notice, with no reopening time2:19announced.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSSThe shortThe short ↗
