Nine popular beaches forced to SHUT DOWN after swarm of mystery balls wash up…weeks after other ‘foul’ orbs spark panic
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NINE popular beaches have been forced to shut down after mysterious balls washed up on the shores and baffled authorities. The balls have washed up across several locations in Sydney, Australia, just weeks after a similar "extremely unpleasant" incident sent beachgoers running for the hills.
![[Close-up of a hand holding a piece of debris found on a beach.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ball-sea-nine-popular-beaches-963725720.jpg?strip=all&w=919)
The nine beaches that were been told to shut down on Tuesday include: Manly, Dee Why, Long Reef, Queenscliff, Freshwater, North and South Curl Curl, North Steyne and North Narrabeen. Among these, Manly Beach is particularly well-known to tourists and locals alike, who often go there to catch some waves or relax in the sand.
![[A gray ball partially buried in sand.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ball-sea-nine-popular-beaches-963725731.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The little grey balls in question were the size of marbles, with some larger, according to a statement from the Northern Beaches Council. The origin of the beach balls has baffled authorities, who are working closely with the state’s environmental agency to collect samples of the debris for testing.
![[Map of Australia showing locations where mysterious debris balls were found.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/RB-14-01-MAP-AUS-BEACH.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The Northern Beaches mayor, Sue Heins, commented: “We don’t know at the moment what it is and that makes it even more concerning. “There’s something that’s obviously leaking or dropping or whatever and floating out there and being tossed around.
![[Hand on sand with several small, round objects.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ball-sea-nine-popular-beaches-963725728.jpg?strip=all&w=836)
“But who’s actually dropped it or lost it or leaked it is something none of us know.”. A spokesperson for Sydney Water said: “Sydney Water can confirm there have been no issues with the normal operations of the Warriewood, North Head, Bondi, Malabar, and Cronulla Water Resource Recovery plants.
