Mammoth effort underway to remove whale carcass from Perth beach - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Heavy machinery is needed to move the carcass, which weighs more than 30 tonnes. (ABC News: Lucy Murray)

An operation to remove a 13-metre whale carcass off a Perth beach will take at least one more day.

Workers had spent all day trying to move the carcass, but lacked a crane big enough.

The operation is aimed at eventually sending the carcass to landfill for burial.

An enormous whale carcass will remain at Perth's City Beach overnight after a day-long effort to remove the giant mammal failed due to a lack of the right equipment.

The whale washed up on the beach early on Monday, and contractors spent all day preparing to remove it with earthmovers, tarpaulins and ropes.

However, the 31-tonne carcass could not be moved because a crane large enough to lift it was unavailable.

A crane to lift the 31-tonne carcass is expected to reach City Beach tomorrow. (ABC News: Lucy Murray)

Workers had spent hours wrapping the decomposing carcass before managing to drag it about 1.5 kilometres to the surf club at City Beach, where it will remain bundled in tarpaulins overnight.

Security guards will monitor the site until the right heavy machinery can be brought in tomorrow morning.

Workers spent all day preparing the decomposing carcass for removal. (ABC News: Lucy Murray)

Crowds were asked to stay off the beach during the removal operation, which aims to get the mammal to a landfill site for burial.

Several sharks have been seen circling close to shore, including a 5-metre white shark, since the carcass washed up.

City Beach will remain closed until it is cleared of all whale remnants. (ABC News: Lucy Murray)

Town of Cambridge staff have warned that anyone who enters the sand or flies a drone above workers will be fined $250.

"We've got rangers down there, we've got parks and garden staff down there to help out. It's a big operation, we've actually diverted staff away from their normal job down here," Town of Cambridge Mayor Gary Mack said.

The whale carcass first washed up on Monday morning. (ABC News: Andrew O'Connor)

The beach is expected to remain closed for some time after the whale is removed to ensure there are "no remnants of whale out there".

It is expected to cost ratepayers between $60,000 and $100,000 to remove the carcass.

The carcass will be taken to landfill. (ABC News: Lucy Murray)

Hundreds of Perth families have visited the dead whale and spotted sharks swimming in close over the past two days.

Mr Mack says the dead humpback had "gone viral".

"It's gone around the world. We have had calls from radio stations and people we have never heard of before," he told reporters on Wednesday.

The carcass has attracted large crowds since in washed up on Monday, but the beach was closed to all as it was removed on Wednesday.  (ABC News: Andrew O'Connor)

Most people have been respectful and marvelled at nature in action, but he did call out a person seen on social media to be jumping on the belly of the whale.

"That was very unwise, because if that person slipped into the water with those sharks around, that would be very dangerous," he said.

"We don't know the structural integrity. And also, it doesn't show respect to the animal. It's a deceased whale down there. It's not a toy."