Tar balls: NSW says it will ‘throw the book’ at any vessel found responsible for mystery debris that closed beaches

Scientists examining contents of petroleum-based balls believed to have been caused by oil spill off Sydney coast as Bondi and some other beaches reopen

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The New South Wales environment minister, Penny Sharpe, has promised to “throw the book” at any vessel found to be responsible for the thousands of “tar balls” that closed Sydney beaches this week.

Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama beaches reopened on Friday after they were closed along with several other eastern suburbs beaches when the mysterious dark spheres were discovered on the sand. The balls were first spotted at Coogee beach on Tuesday afternoon.