A whale calf carcass has washed ashore at Malabar Beach in Sydney, the third landing spot for the same animal. Randwick Council workers moved the remains up the sand, roped off the area and closed the beach on Tuesday. Council said strong currents moved the carcass from Lurline Bay and that it will be removed and disposed of on Tuesday 27 October. Earlier, Coogee and Maroubra beaches were shut after the carcass became stuck against rocks at Lurline Bay.
A tradie's ute was marked with pink spray paint in Freshwater, in Sydney's northern beaches, after it blocked a driveway. Tradie Rob Rakuc said the paint was likely permanent and would cost a couple of hundred dollars to remove. A Tesla on the same street was also reportedly sprayed. Online reaction was mixed, with some people backing the act and others saying it was illegal. Similar anger over parking has surfaced in Doonside and Narrabeen, where vehicles were also marked. Under NSW law, a basic graffiti offence carries a $440 fine.
Randwick Council has closed Malabar Beach in Sydney's east after whale remains washed up there. The juvenile whale carcass had earlier drifted onto the shore at Lurline Bay last week. Council lifeguards fenced off the area over concern the carcass could attract sharks. Council moved the remains further up the beach and is arranging contractors to dispose of them. The beach will stay closed until further notice.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Police arrested two people in Freshwater after a vehicle stop on 19 October. The driver allegedly returned positive drug tests and police allegedly seized drugs, knives and housebreaking tools. The driver was arrested and given a 24-hour licence suspension, and a 29-year-old passenger was charged with property, weapon and drug offences. Northern Beaches Police are also investigating alleged thefts at a Belrose store and warn residents about text message scams asking for money. An 81-year-old man transferred almost $10,000 after a scammer posed as his son.
Bec Lynch, aged 35, died peacefully in Manly on Saturday, 10 October 2026, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. A PDHPE teacher at Narrabeen Sports High School, she inspired her students and colleagues. Known as a familiar face along the Manly beachfront, she ran by the ocean each morning. Her family, friends, former students and the Northern Beaches community will deeply miss her.
Vyshnavee Wijekumar says she and Thiru met on a blind date in 2011, set up by a mutual friend by email. Both joked about their physical looks before meeting, and their first date ran until their Sydney bar closed. The couple come from different upbringings in Sydney, one on the Northern Beaches and the other in Western Sydney, and their differing views on identity and race sparked both friction and understanding. Over 15 years they have faced moves, marriage, therapy, home ownership and fertility struggles. Wijekumar says a friendship and emotional security have carried them through.
Former investment banker Peter Hunt and his wife Tania de Jong, a soprano and social entrepreneur, have relisted their five-bedroom Manly penthouse with a $35 million price guide, down $5 million from February. Hunt said the couple are selling because they now spend more time at their home near Byron Bay, adding that the apartment is special and unlikely to be matched. A sale at or above the guide would surpass the Manly suburb record of $34 million set in 2024. Hunt bought the beachfront unit for $12.2 million in 2010.
Airbnb has announced that from November 20, hosts will no longer be allowed to ask guests to complete check-out chores after paying a cleaning fee. The change has angered hosts worldwide, with some online petitions and a planned nationwide host blackout on November 20. Sydney host club leader Felicity Stevens said it is not too much to ask guests to run the dishwasher and put out the rubbish. Airbnb said the changes aim to make house rules clearer and check-out requests more reasonable, while hosts can still set their own rules.
Indigenous rangers are assisting Randwick City Council to handle a whale carcass that washed onto rocks between Coogee and Maroubra beaches. Two nearby beaches have been closed as a safety precaution. The council said it would wait to see whether the tide carries the animal back out to sea before moving it. The area has been cordoned off, and the carcass is hard to reach because it sits among cliffs and rock ledges. Robert Cooley of the Gamay Rangers said the animal appears to be a young humpback whale, which holds deep spiritual significance for his people.
Manly town centre will host free live music, roving entertainment and family shows on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November. Northern Beaches Council is presenting the inaugural Sounds of Manly event, with local solo musicians and performers across five locations. Mayor Sue Heins said the event aims to celebrate coastal culture and encourage visitors to explore local shops, cafes and hospitality venues. On Saturday, a hula hoop and juggler duo will perform along the precinct from 10.45am to 12.45pm.
A vigilante has spray-painted cars parked across driveways in Freshwater, on Sydney’s northern beaches. Tradie Rob Rakuc found his ute marked with a fluorescent stripe after parking on Moore Road. A Tesla driver on the same street was also targeted, with photos of the incident gaining traction on social media. Local bottle shop owner Steve Woodley acknowledged the parking frustrations in the area.
Fernando Rezende Silveira, 44, has been unable to get a clear diagnosis for more than a year, despite tests by doctors in Australia and overseas. His condition has left him largely reliant on a wheelchair and has stopped the couple's dancing and travel. Doctors have given a provisional diagnosis of seronegative autoimmune encephalitis, but treatment was stopped when he did not respond. Samples have been sent to the United States for testing. His wife, Fernanda De Almeida Santos Cordeiro, has left her job to become his full-time carer.
A new shared path now connects Newport Beach and Bilgola Beach, giving walkers and cyclists a route away from Barrenjoey Road. The path also forms part of the Northern Beaches Coastal Walk and includes lookout points and native landscaping. Mayor Sue Heins said the route is safer and more accessible for walkers, cyclists and people with mobility limitations. The path is built from low-maintenance, corrosion-resistant materials, including stainless-steel handrails with timber accents. It extends the completed Coast Walk and bicycle network between Manly and Newport.
Northern Beaches Council has approved plans to expand its public electric vehicle charging network, identifying up to 50 key locations. The move aims to support the growing number of EVs in the area, with over 7,700 registered as of October 2026. Mayor Sue Heins said the expansion is crucial for sustainable transport, with projections indicating the region will have over 33,000 EVs by 2030.
Northern Beaches councillors have voted to suspend the alcohol ban at Shelly Beach in Manly for a Chanel private event on 4 November. The fashion house's first Australian runway show will follow the next day at a location yet to be disclosed. A Crown land licence covers the beach from 6pm to 10pm, and the approved area now includes all access points. Public access will be restricted at times. Greens councillor Bonnie Harvey criticised the decision as one rule for the rich, but the majority voted in favour.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Northern Beaches Libraries is running six free creative workshops across Forestville, Mona Vale and Warringah Mall libraries in October and November. The workshops mark International Day of People with Disability and are run with Studio A, a Sydney studio that supports artists with disability. Adults with and without disability can take part alongside professional artists. Artwork will be shown in a community exhibition at Mona Vale Library from 3 December 2026 to 31 January 2027. Mayor Sue Heins said the program promotes inclusion and connection.
Independent federal MP Helen Haines is in critical condition after being allegedly struck by a vehicle outside her electorate office in Wangaratta on Monday afternoon. Investigations are underway and a 43-year-old man is in custody. Fellow independent MPs Zali Steggall, Sophie Scamps and Nicolette Boele have expressed shock and support for Haines, her family and the Indi community. Steggall called Haines a caring and wise friend and representative. Scamps said the divisive, hate-filled politics has to end.
