Nine beaches in Sydney, the capital city of Australia’s state of New South Wales, have been closed following the return of mystery debris balls.

The debris balls had forced beach closures late in 2024.

Sydney’s Northern Beaches Council closed nine beaches under its jurisdiction on Tuesday after being notified by the Environment Protection Authority in NSW about the balls washing ashore.

Those that had been closed included the iconic beach at Manly, one of Sydney’s most popular surfing and swimming spots.

“Council was alerted to the debris via the EPA and is working closely with the state agency to collect samples for testing.

“So far, most samples identified are marble-sized, with a few larger in size. The council is organising the safe removal of the matter and the inspection of the other beaches,’’ the council said in a statement.

It has advised beachgoers to avoid the affected areas and avoid the material.

According to the council, this came after thousands of debris balls washed ashore at seven beaches in Sydney’s East in October 2024, forcing their closure for several days.

More of the balls were found at two beaches in southern Sydney in December 2024.

The EPA tested the debris washed ashore last October and found that it comprised hundreds of components, including fat, food, human waste, and drugs.

Experts could not detect the debris’s origin but said that it likely came from a source that releases mixed waste.

(Xinhua/NAN)