Blobs of fat and the smell of rotting garbage: at an idyllic Sydney beach, a 25-tonne sperm whale slowly disintegrates

Authorities are yet to decide how they will move the body of the massive creature, which is attracting humans, eagles - and plenty of sharksGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThin strips of flesh hang down like rotten tinsel, swaying in the wind. Glistening fluid trickles on to the stone where insects buzz. On the windward side, the odour is masked by the salty air. But step downwind, and you enter a sickly, sour-sweet blend of garbage and rotting fish. A passing couple pull their T-shirts tight over their noses.On a rock shelf at the southern end of Era beach, the estimated 25-tonne body of a sperm whale rests like a melted candle. Looking down at the rock pools, floating chunks of white fat bob in the water. Continue reading...