Sydney beaches closed by decomposing whale carcass

October 22, 2026 — 9:16amAuthorities have closed two Sydney beaches and warned residents of increased shark activity after a whale carcass was discovered floating close to shore in the eastern suburbs.Lifeguards reported the dead whale floating in Lurline Bay, a rocky enclave between Coogee and Maroubra, just before 8am on Thursday.A whale carcass washed up in Lurline Bay in South Coogee.Audrey Richardson“As a precaution, Maroubra and Coogee Beach will remain closed until further notice while lifeguards monitor the situation and work with local stakeholders and authorities to arrange the whale’s removal,” Randwick Council said in a statement.Whale carcasses can attract sharks, which can detect decomposing flesh and blood from kilometres away and come in close to shore to feed.The carcass appears to be fairly decomposed.More to comeBe the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app.Angus Dalton is the science reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.From our partners