Four common dolphins that became stranded in shallow water at Pipe Clay Lagoon in Tasmania's south-east have been driven to another beach and released.
The dolphins became stranded chasing fish in the outgoing tide early on Thursday morning.
Local oyster fishers first spotted dolphins in the shallows about 7:30am, before calling the authorities.
Parks and Wildlife officers and about 10 marine conservation volunteers began a rescue mission.
The animals were stabilised with wet cloths as the tide began to rise to protect them from sunburn and to keep them hydrated.
They were loaded onto a boat at Pipe Clay Lagoon which was towed by car to nearby Roches Beach where the animals were carried to the beach and released into deeper water.
Authorities plan to monitor the dolphins in the hours following their release.
The last time dolphins were reported beached in Tasmania was in 2012 when 20 bottlenose dolphins were found on New Year Island off Tasmania's north-west coast.
