Sydney – Hundreds of mysterious black tar-like balls have washed up on two popular Sydney beaches, prompting lifeguards to close the strands to swimmers.
“Mysterious, black, ball-shaped debris” began appearing on Coogee Beach on Tuesday afternoon the local mayor said, leaving flummoxed Australian authorities scrambling to find out what they might be, and where they may have come from.
Hundreds of golf-to-cricket-ball-sized spheres could be seen littering the coast, which is usually thronged with Sydneysiders and tourists.
Coogee Beach in Sydney’s east has been closed after hundreds of mysterious, black balls were discovered by lifeguards along the sand.
It is believed the “ball-shaped debris” washed in from the water, however it is unknown what material they are made of, with the local council… pic.twitter.com/WhrxlB4iJ9
— 10 News First (@10NewsFirst) October 15, 2024
Instead, a few seagulls wandered among the spheres, pecking and examining.
The balls were also spotted at nearby Gordon’s Bay, an aquatic reserve popular for snorkelling and fishing, which was also closed.
“At this stage, it is unknown what the material is,” Mayor Dylan Parker said in a social media post.
#AUSTRALIA #Sydney beaches closed over ‘mysterious’ black balls Beachgoing tourists and locals have been replaced by hundreds of mysterious black balls. Authorities have closed the two beaches as they carry out tests and remove the material. pic.twitter.com/QM2sq4l237
— official_theviratkumar69 (@theviratkumar69) October 16, 2024
“However, they may be ‘tar balls’ which are formed when oil comes in to contact with debris and water, typically the result of oil spills or seepage.”
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Picture: X/@theviratkumar69
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
