Nine Sydney Beaches Closed After Mysterious Debris Washes Ashore

Authorities are investigating the origin and composition of marble-sized balls found along the northern Sydney coastline.

Nine beaches, including Manly and Dee Why, were closed after white and grey marble-sized debris was discovered along a 13km stretch of Sydney's northern beaches.
The Northern Beaches Council and the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) are collecting samples for testing and organizing the cleanup of the affected areas.
The debris is similar to mysterious black balls found on Sydney beaches in October 2024, which were determined to be human-generated waste containing fatty acids, petroleum hydrocarbons, hair, and other materials.
The exact source of the debris remains unknown, though potential causes such as shipping spills or wastewater outflow have been considered in previous incidents.
Authorities are inspecting other nearby beaches for further debris and advising the public to avoid the closed areas until cleanup and investigations are complete.