00:03A spectacle on the water's edge, crowds flocking to catch a glimpse while they can.
00:09I've seen a lot of incredible nature, I'm obsessed with how beautiful nature is but nothing like this whale.
00:15We see a lot of whales up north travelling through and we just really wanted to come and see what
00:19it looks like washed up on shore.
00:21Bit smelly but yeah, it's a beautiful species and I'm proud to be a whale lover.
00:24The dead whale washed ashore at City Beach on Monday morning.
00:28Authorities close surrounding beaches as several sharks circled a learning opportunity for wildlife experts before the clean-up begins.
00:37Ultimately extracted, put on transport and taken to a landfill site.
00:41It's complex and potentially risky work because the whale weighs tonnes and it may not be as a whole animal
00:48at this stage.
00:49The town has engaged contractors to help remove the carcass weighing an estimated 31 tonnes,
00:55hoping the state government will help foot the bill.
00:58People have asked, are we going to seek assistance? It's not unusual for councils to seek assistance.
01:03Generally local governments manage these types of things on beaches, that is part of their responsibility.
01:10The huge operation of removing this whale carcass is expected to commence in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
01:17The smell being excreted from the animal, not a deterrent for keen onlookers.
01:23Is the whale a bit stinky?
01:25Yeah.
01:27How stinky is it out of 10?
01:29So stinky.
01:30If it's embedded in the sand and there's juices oozing out of the whale,
01:34the sharks could persist beyond the whale carcass physically being there.
01:39So authorities will make the call as to whether it's safe or not to swim.
01:43All town of Cambridge beaches remain closed.
01:47All town of Cambridge beaches remain closed.
