Another Perth beach has closed after authorities removed the tail of a whale carcass found off the shore at Sorrento. It is the second whale carcass to wash up on the city's beaches this week and the third in a month. Sorrento Beach has been closed since a fatal shark attack about five weeks ago, when Greg O'Neill was killed while swimming close to shore. On Thursday, a partial whale carcass led to the closure of all beaches at South Cottesloe. The state government is expanding its shark-tagging program and may use AI-powered drones to keep beachgoers safe.
Sorrento Beach in Perth's northern suburbs has been closed after a whale carcass was sighted on Sunday morning. The City of Joondalup closed the beach, and beaches in the area remain closed. The carcass was removed by 10.40am, but a shark advice alert remains because the carcass may attract sharks close to shore. Officers from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development are monitoring the situation. It follows a juvenile whale carcass that washed ashore at Dutch Inn Beach on Thursday, which was taken to the Red Hill Waste Management Facility.
About 100 Year 12 students ignored shark warnings and beach closure signs for a mass swim at Cottesloe Beach on Thursday. The swim took place inside the shark barrier, about 1km from where a whale carcass was found washed up earlier that morning. Some students swam out as far as the beach's pylon. Parents and supporters watched and cheered them on. The Town of Cottesloe said all its beaches would stay closed until Friday morning while the carcass was removed and conditions were reassessed.
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A juvenile whale carcass washed ashore near Cottesloe Beach on Thursday and has been removed to a landfill site. Town of Cottesloe rangers and a contractor used an excavator to lift it while dozens of locals watched. Lifeguards closed Cottesloe beaches that morning, and a shark alert was issued because the carcass could draw sharks closer to shore. The closures remain in place as a precaution. The removal follows a 31-tonne humpback whale at South City Beach last month, which cost about $180,000 to remove.
A dead whale has washed up on South Cottesloe beach in Perth, the second in recent weeks. The partly decomposed carcass, about three metres long, was found early on Thursday. Cottesloe Mayor Melissa Harkins said all local beaches are closed, including the main beach, which has a shark barrier. She urged people to stay out of the water until the carcass is removed and for some time after. Council staff plan to move the carcass to Red Hill Waste Management Facility for burial.
All Cottesloe beaches have been closed after a juvenile whale carcass washed up at Dutch Inn Beach in South Cottesloe. Authorities have warned people to stay out of the water after shark sightings. Surf Live Saving WA said lifeguards closed Cottesloe Beach around 7.30am on Thursday, and a shark alert has been issued. SharkSmart warned the carcass could draw sharks closer to shore along the coast. The closure also includes the main beach with its shark barrier.
Western Australian primary school canteens are set to be given healthier menus after new national data showed fewer than 5 per cent of Australians aged 2 and over eat the recommended amount of vegetables, legumes and beans. The National Nutrition Foundation report also found about $9.2 billion of health spending went on nutrition-related risks such as obesity. Discretionary foods made up almost a third of average daily energy intake. The foundation's freshSNAP program, supported by the Australian Department of Health, works with more than 200 school canteens across WA.
The City of Stirling has voted to investigate stronger shark safety measures along its 7.5km coastline, including a possible shark barrier at Scarborough Beach. A report is due to the community and resources committee on November 24. Options include enhanced drone patrols and AI-assisted shark detection. Council officers warned that barriers may be unsuitable for exposed surf beaches because of heavy swells and strong currents. The move follows three fatal shark attacks in four months, the most recent involving a 61-year-old man at Sorrento Beach in September.
Aldi has the highest average Google rating among WA's three major supermarket chains, based on customer reviews. Woolworths Perth Airport earned the best individual store rating in the state, at 4.46 stars. Shoppers praised clean stores, helpful staff and easy parking. Common complaints included checkout queues, empty shelves and poor service. Woolworths Cottesloe, Coles Kununurra and Aldi Mirrabooka were the lowest-rated stores in their chains.
The shark barrier at Cottesloe Beach has been installed after stormy weather delayed the work. Installation began on Monday and was completed on Wednesday. The barrier is 170 metres long, extends 140 metres out from the shoreline along the groyne, and will stay in place until the end of April. The Town of Cottesloe spends $120,000 a year on the barrier. Mayor Melissa Harkins said it is part of the town's commitment to community safety. The work comes amid increased shark activity around Perth beaches and a recent fatal attack at Sorrento Beach.
A Joondalup councillor wants the city to assess whether a modern non-lethal shark barrier could be installed at Sorrento Beach. Cr Phillip Vinciullo's motion follows last month's fatal shark attack that killed 63-year-old Greg O'Neill. He says the aim is to gather current information, not to assign blame. The beach's previous Eco Shark Barrier was removed in 2020 after an assessment found structural damage. Mayor Daniel Kingston has also put forward a motion on beach safety, with a final council vote expected on October 27.
A shark net is going in at Quinns Beach this week ahead of summer, and local lifesavers say it will reassure parents of children learning to swim. Mike Spiby, a surf and ski coach at Quinns Mindarie Surf Life Saving Club, said the barrier would bring confidence to the club's 700 Nippers. He said the community felt deeply affected by a recent fatal shark attack at Sorrento. Residents who watched contractors roll out the net on Tuesday said it made the beach feel safer for families.
An AI safety camera trailer was installed on Curtin Avenue in Cottesloe to detect mobile phone use, seatbelt non-compliance and speeding. It operated on southbound traffic between Eric Street and Napier Street from September 30 to October 6. Touching a mobile phone carries a minimum $500 fine and three demerit points, while incorrect seatbelt use starts at $550 and four demerits. The Road Safety Commission says detected seatbelt and mobile phone offences fell by 76 per cent over the 12 months to August 2026. Fines go into the Road Trauma Trust, which funds road safety projects.
Netted swimming enclosures are being installed at metropolitan Perth beaches as shark fears remain high after a string of fatal attacks. A 170-metre barrier at Cottesloe Beach was completed on Wednesday and will stay until the end of April. Council crews are preparing the Quinns Beach barrier to be operational by Friday, while the City of Fremantle expects to install the Bathers Beach enclosure later this month, depending on the weather.
Two Perth men have been charged over alleged data theft linked to a global hacker group called TeamPCP. Police allege Ruben Ian Thomson and Louis Michael Gaebler received cryptocurrency payments for their roles. A tip-off from Australian cyber experts helped the FBI and Australian Federal Police locate the group in Perth. Police say the malicious code potentially compromised more than 1000 organisations and that more than 500,000 credentials were stolen. Both men remain in custody, and their matter returns to the Perth Magistrates Court on October 30.
