Sydney beaches shut once again over mysterious debris washed on shore

Sydney’s popular Manly Beach and other beaches around the Australian city were closed on Tuesday as authorities investigated marble-sized balls of white and gray debris that had washed on shore, in the latest such mysterious incident in recent months.

The Northern Beaches Council said most of the samples identified were marble-sized, though some were larger. It said it was organizing the safe removal of the debris, the makeup and origin of which is unknown.

In addition to Manly, officials closed Dee Why, Long Reef, Queenscliff, Freshwater, North and South Curl Curl, North Steyne and North Narrabeen beaches until further notice. Other beaches are being inspected.

The closures come at the peak of the Australian summer.

The council said it was collecting samples of the debris for testing in close coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency of New South Wales, the state that includes Sydney.

The agency advised members of the public not to touch the balls of debris, which are similar in appearance to those that washed up on beaches in the east of the city in October, including the famous Bondi Beach.

That debris, which was initially thought to be tar balls, was found to be a combination of decomposed cooking oils, hair and food waste.