A Wollongong City councillor is calling for a review after a sperm whale carcass was towed 20 kilometres along the coast, attracting sharks and endangering water users. Greens councillor Jess Whittaker described the operation as 'clumsy and poorly communicated', arguing that the community was not adequately warned.
The decomposing whale, estimated to weigh 20 to 25 tonnes and measure eight metres in length, was discovered on 25 April at Era Beach in the Royal National Park. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) engaged a contractor to tow the carcass to Bellambi boat ramp, where it was broken apart and taken to a waste facility.
Whittaker said the lack of a media plan meant fishers, surfers and divers were unaware of the towing. The Bellambi boat ramp remained open that morning, leaving fishers stranded when the carcass was brought ashore. She also raised concerns about worker safety and equipment used to lift the whale.
Local spear fisher Darren Bissett said he and his dive buddy were spearfishing just 500 metres from the towed carcass without any warning from authorities. They were alerted by a commercial diver who had heard radio chatter. Bissett reported seeing multiple sharks near the carcass at the boat ramp.
NPWS defended the operation, stating that towing the carcass out to sea was not feasible as it would create a shipping hazard. The service said it consulted the local Aboriginal community and identified Bellambi as the most suitable extraction point based on council advice.
SharkSmart reported a shark sighting at Bellambi beach on Friday, leading to an evacuation and beach closure. Over the weekend, 16 sharks were sighted in the area, including a bull shark and a 3.73-metre tiger shark. Whittaker has called for a government review in collaboration with all agencies involved.
