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.
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.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has called on the federal government to reverse its plan to sell Victoria Barracks in Paddington. He said the sale would be a big missed opportunity and that the community wanted the site kept for defence use. Defence Minister Richard Marles defended the move, saying the site is not fundamental to national defence and costs $200 million over the next decade to secure. Defence says most of the roughly 500 personnel on the site will move out before the end of 2026, with many shifted to Randwick Barracks.
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Trainer Ciaron Maher could have eight horses in this year's Melbourne Cup, which would be a third of the entire field and an all-time record. He currently has seven horses inside the top 24 and leads the Victorian metro trainers' premiership. Maher also has a strong spring, including the win of Tempted in the $20 million Everest sprint. The final Melbourne Cup field will be announced at 4:30pm on Saturday, with the barrier draw to follow.
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.
A First Nations ranger group says a whale carcass that closed beaches near Sydney should be towed out to sea to decompose. Coogee beach reopened on Friday after closing the day before, but the carcass remained wedged among rocks at Lurline Bay after high tide failed to move it. Randwick council said Maroubra beach stayed closed due to dangerous surf. Robert Cooley, a senior ranger with the Gamay Rangers, said the carcass is important to the Bidjigal people and that taking it to landfill is distressing.
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.
Two busy Sydney beaches, Coogee and Maroubra, have been closed until further notice after a decomposing whale carcass washed up at nearby Lurline Bay. Randwick Council said the closure protects swimmers and surfers, as whale carcasses can attract sharks. Council has no plans to remove the animal. Staff are working with the Gamay Rangers on a culturally sensitive approach, and the carcass is believed to be a juvenile humpback. Residents are asked to avoid the area and follow directions from lifeguards and authorities.
Randwick City Council has closed Maroubra and Coogee beaches after a whale carcass washed up on rocks between them. The carcass lies at Lurline Bay, just over two kilometres from either beach. Council is working with the Gamay Rangers and the NSW Department of Primary Industries. The carcass will stay in place for now, as discussions continue about a culturally and environmentally sensitive approach. Council is also considering closing the surrounding rock shelf walkway. Council urges people to avoid swimming at both beaches, as carcasses can attract sharks.
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.
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.
Beaches at Coogee and Maroubra in Sydney's east have been closed to swimmers after a whale carcass was spotted floating against the coastline. The dead whale, suspected to be a young humpback, was seen at Lurline Bay on Thursday morning. Randwick Council says the beaches will stay closed until further notice while the whale is removed. Whale scientist Vanessa Pirotta says the animal is likely a young adult or teenaged humpback and has advised against swimming in the area.
A fire-damaged three-bedroom home at 19 Robertson Street, Merrylands, sold for $1.061m at auction, above its $1.050m reserve, despite buyers being unable to enter the property. Six bidders registered, with two active in the bidding. Auctioneer Ben Mitchell said registrations across Sydney have fallen, with many homes passing in. Agent Soon Tee said the 682 square metre block drew buyers, and the successful buyer plans to build a house and granny flat. In Randwick and Bronte, two other homes also sold above their price guides or reserves.
The 2026 Everest will start at 4:15pm AEDT on Saturday, October 17, at Royal Randwick in Sydney. The race is the seventh of ten on the day's card. Last year's winner, Ka Ying Rising, returns from Hong Kong and is the short-priced favourite for the 1,200-metre Group 1 race. Local runners, led by Tempted, last year's second-place finisher, hope to beat him. Wet weather in Sydney and a rain-affected track add uncertainty to the 12-horse field.
The Everest, a $20 million race run at Royal Randwick, is drawing more racing attention than the 150th Caulfield Cup in Melbourne. Both races run on the same afternoon, 60 minutes apart. Jockey Jamie Melham, who rode Half Yours to the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double last spring, will ride Blue Door in The Everest instead. Melbourne traditionalists say the race has pulled the spotlight from classic staying events. Its supporters argue it has energised spring racing.
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The South Burnett Race Club will hold its annual Caulfield Cup race meeting at Wondai Racecourse on Saturday, October 17. The meeting coincides with The TAB Everest at Randwick, and interstate races will be shown on screens at the course. The five-race card starts at 1:35pm, with the feature Roy and Glenis Radunz Wondai Cup at 4:05pm. The fashion theme is Country Meets Couture. Admission is $10, and cash is required because there is no EFTPOS on site.
Canberra venues are hosting a range of Melbourne Cup celebrations on 3 November. The Hyatt Hotel Canberra has a garden party from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm for $200 per person, with a seafood bar and live tiramisu bar. Thoroughbred Park offers Cup day racing with general entry from $20. Free options include the Canberra Labor Club, The Dock in Kingston and Mercure Canberra, which will show the races on multiple big screens.
A man who survived being allegedly set alight at a Sydney hospital says he is glad he was targeted instead of someone who could not defend themselves. Radovan Banic, 54, was one of three people allegedly doused in petrol at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick on Tuesday night. He said he thought the liquid was water before he realised he was alight, and he has minor burns. Police allege Raymond Dungay, 48, tried to set two other patients alight. Dungay has been charged with attempted murder and did not apply for bail in court.
A patient at Prince of Wales hospital in Randwick has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after allegedly setting a fellow patient on fire. Police allege Raymond James Dungay, 48, poured petrol on three patients on Tuesday evening before igniting one of them. Hospital staff quickly put out the fire. The 54-year-old victim suffered minor burns, while two others were treated for minor injuries and are in a stable condition. Dungay is expected to face a bail hearing. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park apologised and ordered a departmental review.
Mid-century apartments built in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s are attracting home owners and investors who once overlooked them. Developers built many of these modest blocks for renters, offering good light, breezes and balconies. Property experts say buyers value their solid construction and lower strata fees, since they lack extras such as pools and gyms. One Randwick owner plans to sell his three-bedroom apartment, which is guided at $1.35 million, and an agent says these homes are more popular than ever.
