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Whale Carcasses Prompt Beach Closures and Shark Alerts on Perth’s Coast
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Whale Carcasses Trigger Beach Closures and Shark Alerts
A dead whale that washed ashore on a Sunday morning at Sorrento Beach led the City of Joondalup to close the beach and issue a shark-advice alert. Authorities warned that the carcass could attract sharks close to shore, prompting precautionary measures for beachgoers. A similar incident occurred at South Cottesloe beach, where a three-metre, heavily decomposed partial whale prompted the closure of all local beaches, including the main Cottesloe beach that has a shark barrier.
Recent Wash-ups and Removal Operations
The Sorrento incident follows a juvenile whale that stranded at Dutch Inn Beach two days earlier and was removed by Cottesloe rangers using a scoop excavator. Both carcasses were taken to the Red Hill Waste Management Facility for disposal. The most recent wash-up, reported on a Thursday, involved a 13-metre, 72-tonne humpback whale that stranded on South City Beach on September 27. That removal required a crane and cost almost $180,000.
Official Statements & Responses
Surf Life Saving WA reported the Sorrento sighting at 7:10 a.m., and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development continues to monitor the situation. Cottesloe Mayor Melissa Harkins advised residents to stay out of the water until the carcass is removed and for a short period afterward, noting that testing for bird flu or E. coli was unnecessary given the state of the remains. Council staff arranged a bulldozer to load the carcass onto a truck for transport to Red Hill.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I would encourage people if they're coming down to the Cottesloe area to stay out of the water for the time being until the carcass is removed and probably for a little while longer,” — Cr Harkins, cottesloe mayor