Applause rang out across Esperance's West Beach as a dead whale dipped under the surf and disappeared out to sea.

Only hours earlier, residents of the West Australian town had woken to find the carcass washed up on its popular beach.

The area's car park was soon overflowing as people clamoured to take a look.

The whale carcass lolled in the shallows at the beach's eastern end, known as Firsties.

While seabirds dive-bombed from above, it also attracted more dangerous scavengers.

Shark risk

The carcass was first reported on Saturday near Charley Island, about 6 kilometres off the coast. 

Locals put drones up and videoed it being eaten by sharks as it made its way towards land. 

That soon raised public safety concerns, particularly as it was due to make landfall at one of the region's most popular surfing and swimming beaches.

Three people were killed by sharks in the region between 2017 and 2020, and residents are determined to avoid further tragedies. 

Mitchell Capelli, from the town's Ocean Safety and Support Group, had hoped it would be dragged away by boat before it reached land, to avoid attracting sharks to the area.

A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) spokesperson said it had no capacity to do that.

They said it tried to get permission for the Ocean Safety Group to tow it away late on Saturday.

However, this did not occur before the carcass made landfall. 

Once it washed up, the Esperance Shire closed nearby beaches, including Lovers Cove, West Beach and Blue Haven.

The shire, DPIRD and the Department of Biosecutiy, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) then worked with the Ocean Safety and Support Group and locals to come up with a plan to dispose of it.

"This is a first from this location and personnel safety is priority," the shire posted on Facebook.

"Please stay clear of the area to let the people work.

"Isolation really does build innovation."

In other parts of the state, whale carcasses are often sent to landfill. 

But West Beach has steep staircases down to it, and it cannot be accessed by large vehicles.

That meant removing the carcass via heavy machinery would be almost impossible.

Instead, locals were given the go-ahead to tow it back out to sea.

Swift removal

By the time a rope had been strung across the whale's body and tied to a fishing boat, hundreds were watching.

They stood shoulder-to-shoulder along footpaths, staircases and a nearby headland, cameras at the ready. 

When it was finally dislodged and made off southwards, people cheered.

"[The boat] will go out really deep," Mr Capelli said.

"Which is the main goal here."

Mr Capelli said locals would work with the Esperance Shire, DPIRD and DBCA to formulate a plan for when the next carcass arrives. 

"We'll definitely be in a better position moving forward because of this situation," he said.

"[State departments] want to come down and have a meeting with us and the shire and piece together a procedure so we can intervene prior to it coming into contact with local beaches."

The Shire of Esperance has been contacted for comment.