A popular Albany beach has been closed to the public after multiple Great White sharks were sighted a short way from the shore, having been attracted to the coast by a decaying whale carcass.
The City of Albany announced the closure of Goode Beach via its Facebook page on Monday afternoon. “The beach will remain closed while arrangements are made to remove the carcass, which is expected to occur tomorrow morning,” they wrote. “Please avoid entering the water and follow all signage and directions in the area.”
Shark Sightings Over the Weekend
At least three large white sharks have been spotted swimming in the area over the weekend. They are believed to have been attracted to the area by a decomposing whale carcass that was spotted by a member of the public drifting about 200m offshore at 8am on Saturday morning.
Two 3m long white sharks were sighted swimming about 15m from the sand at 11am on Sunday morning. A third white shark, estimated to be about 3.3m long by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, was spotted about 250m offshore at 1.30pm on Monday.
Ongoing Monitoring and Removal Efforts
DPIRD officers, along with staff from other agencies, are monitoring the situation and providing advice to relevant authorities. The carcass is set to be removed on Tuesday morning.
The City of Albany has urged the public to avoid the area and adhere to all safety instructions. The beach will remain closed until the removal process is complete and the area is deemed safe.
