Indigenous rangers push to tow whale carcass back out to sea, not to landfill
A juvenile humpback whale carcass wedged on rocks between Sydney's Coogee and Maroubra beaches has sparked a debate: the Gamay Rangers say towing it offshore is more respectful than sending it to landfill.
The whale washed up in Lurline Bay this week, forcing Coogee beach to close Thursday while Maroubra stayed shut due to rough surf. Coogee reopened Friday after drones showed no shark activity, but the carcass remained stuck among rocks after high tide failed to move it out.
Robert Cooley, a senior ranger with the Gamay Rangers, told the council the tow is now needed. The whale is an important totem to the local Bidjigal people.
Cooley said that because the whale is too decayed to be buried on conservation land, returning it to the ocean lets nature take its course. He added that taking it to landfill was distressing to the community.
Whales researcher Olaf Meynecke supports the tow, saying shark activity is actually beneficial offshore where decomposition happens fast, and keeps sharks away from swimmers near shore.
- juvenile humpback
- Whale species
- Lurline Bay, between Coogee and Maroubra
- Location
- Gamay Rangers
- Ranger group
- Bidjigal
- Indigenous people
Why it mattersThe decision affects what happens to marine animals on Australian beaches and reflects growing tension between landfill disposal and culturally respectful alternatives.
AustraliaSydney swimmers now face changing beach closures, and the case sets a precedent for how future whale strandings are handled along the Australian coast.
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