Whale carcass at Thirteenth Beach has been removed following after community push

A rotting whale carcass on Thirteenth Beach has been removed in pieces in a graphic operation this morning. WATCH THE VIDEO.

A rotting whale carcass that has caused outrage in Barwon Heads has been chopped up and removed from Thirteenth Beach.

The 16-tonne fin whale washed up west of the Barwon Heads Bluff last month and quickly became a tourist attraction, despite health concerns about the badly decomposing animal.

The carcass was sliced into pieces on Thursday morning and taken away using heavy machinery just before 9am.

The top layer of sand underneath has been scraped following the massive operation.

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action made the decision to get rid of the animal on Wednesday afternoon, despite announcing last week it would be staying put.

The remains of a dead whale are removed from 13th Beach at Barwon Heads. Picture: Alison Wynd

Curious members of the public were told to follow temporary closures and traffic management at the beach

“The remains have shifted west along the beach to a more accessible location and the carcass has decomposed to a point we can now safely remove it,” a DEECA statement said.

Heavy machinery was seen moving along the stretch of sand just before 8am this morning, with teams in biohazard gear and specialist equipment transporting the remains in pieces.

The beach, between the access ramp (40W) and The Bluff, including all stairs in the area, was temporarily closed, with traffic management in place on a section of Thirteenth Beach Rd.

A girl holds her nose from the stench of the carcass. Picture: Mark Wilson

Road users were warned about delays and told to consider alternate routes, such as Barwon Heads Road.

A staging area in a gravel car park opposite the access ramp was used for equipment and was closed to the public.

It comes as many Barwon Heads residents were left furious after being told be DEECA last week the whale would be left to rot naturally, with a petition launched to try and overturn the decision.

Sharks have become a problem for surfers and swimmers in the area since it washed ashore, on September 12.

The remains of a dead whale are removed from 13th Beach at Barwon Heads. Picture: Alison Wynd

Rasta Surf owner, Ross Harrison, said he had stopped renting out boards to tourists.

“Community safety is paramount,” he said.

“We’ve been knocking back rentals because we feel very uncomfortable sending people out there.

“It’s not easy, but it (the whale) can be removed.”

Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant said DEECA had been constantly monitoring the situation regarding the “complex” issue of the deceased whale at 13th Beach.

“I appreciate the patience from the community throughout the process,” she said.

“I have strongly advocated for the views of the community to the relevant authorities, with the primary concern being the safety of our beaches and the ongoing risks associated with the whale decomposing for an extended period of time.”

Originally published as Whale carcass at Thirteenth Beach has been removed following after community push