Whale carcass closes Maroubra and Coogee beaches in Sydney – video

Key points

• A baby whale carcass has washed ashore at Lurline Bay in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, and Randwick City Council has shut nearby beaches as a precaution. The council is consulting the NSW Department of Primary Industries and the Gamay Rangers on a culturally and environmentally sensitive approach.
• The carcass is not being removed for now. Its rocky, cliff-lined location makes access difficult, and the council is considering closing the surrounding area and rock shelf walkway.
• Mayor Clare Willington said the whale is an important totem animal to the local Bidjigal people.