Police, plumbers and local residents are trying desperately to save a large whale washed up on a remote beach on Western Cape York.
The six-metre-long mammal, believed to be a Bryde's whale, was discovered early Firday morning at Pormpuraaw, south of Weipa.
Since then, the local community has been trying to keep the whale alive.
Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Council executive manager of environment Robbie Morris said the whale was stranded about 100 metres from the high-tide line.
"It's almost impossible to get any machinery out there," he said.
"We've been doing everything we can with what we have.
"I had a couple of portable gazebos there, they were taken out by the local police and erected.
"Our plumbing contractor, I had a talk to him and we set up a portable sprinkler system on the animal."
Mr Morris said the stranding was extremely unusual.
"No-one has seen anything like it before. One of the elders I talked to couldn't recall it happening," he said.
"My missus has been out there pouring buckets of water on it all day. It definitely is an emotional thing."
Macquarie University marine scientist Vanessa Pirotta said it was difficult to identify the whale remotely.
"Based on limited photos to make a certain identification, it looks very much like a Bryde's whale," Dr Pirotta said.
"Some would also say it has features that are blue whale-like."
Dr Pirotta said poor health was the most likely reason the whale became beached.
"Its body condition is not very good, it looks very thin," she said.
She said the whale was unlikely to survive.
