DOWNLOAD THE FREE LiSTNR APP
tar balls
Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images

More Sydney Beaches Close As Mysterious Tar Balls Wash Ashore

Two more Sydney beaches have closed after mysterious black sphere-shaped debris washed ashore overnight.

Clovelly Beach and the northern end of Maroubra Beach closed on Thursday, in addition to Coogee Beach on Tuesday and Gordons Bay Beach on Wednesday following the discovery.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The New South Wales Briefing – keeping you in the loop with news as it hits:

Randwick City Council said all four beaches would remain closed until further notice.

Randwick mayor Dylan Parker said the council would continue to remove the material across all beaches throughout the day.

“We don’t yet know what has happened to produce the debris washing up on our beaches, but we will continue to work with relevant authorities to ensure the safety of the public and clean up our beaches,” he said.

The debris is believed to be toxic and carcinogenic tar balls originating from oil spills that coagulate into spheres over time. The blobs of petroleum travel through the ocean, collecting debris on their way.

Preliminary testing found the debris to be a hydrocarbon-based pollutant, which points to signs of being tar balls.

Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on Listnr today. The Briefing serves up the latest news headlines and a deep dive into a topic affecting you. All in under 20 minutes.