Beachgoers in the Sydney area will have to stay out of the water for a while after authorities confirmed the presence of toxic tar balls washed ashore.
Accordingly NBC NewsThe sticky black goo balls were first spotted on Coogee Beach on October 15, prompting the closure of beaches in the area. As of October 17, parts of Sydney's famous Bondi Beach, Bronte, Tamarama, Gordons Bay, Clovelly and Maroubra Beach will be closed until further notice while crews clean up tar balls.
The Sydney suburb of Randwick city council said preliminary test results indicated the black globules were tar balls formed when oil mixed with debris and water. However, their exact origins are unknown.
“We don't yet know what debris is washing up on our beaches, but we will continue to work with appropriate authorities to ensure the safety of the public and clean our beaches,” Mayor Dylan Parker said in a statement on Oct. 17. , per Sky News.
This isn't just limited to Sydney either. The New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority said in a statement that similar debris was found at Congong, Frenchmans, Little Bay and Malabar beaches.
“At this stage, the origin and contents of the balls remain a mystery. However, EPA is conducting extensive testing on a number of samples,” the agency said. NBC News.
Between tar balls and sharks, Australian waters can be less than welcoming to humans.