Ms Carty’s four-year-old son Eli cuts a sad figure in front of one of the dead sperm whales. Source: Supplied

The whales were found beached 50m offshore across an area of some 500m. Locals believe they washed ashore during high tide between midnight and 4am this morning when they were first sighted.

Too late: One of at least seven sperm whales found beached on the Yorke Peninsula. Picture: Vicki Freer Source: Supplied

“They’re big whales, all between eight and ten metres long, you can see them from the road,” Lauren Carty, 32, told news.com.au.

“None of them are moving. I think it was just too late. You could see one thrashing its tail at about 8am this morning but its not moving anymore. It’s very sad.”

Ms Carty and her family live in Ardrossan, about four kilometres from Parara Beach. Her husband Nick rang her from his work at the local silo to report the tragic and unusual sight.

“He could see them from the silo,” she said.

“I’ve never, ever seen a whale here. Ever. Maybe the occasional seal but never a whale. It’s extraordinary. I went down with my children but didn’t get very close because I didn’t want them to be upset.”

Lauren Carty, with her two-year-old son Silas, said the beached whales were a “sad” and “extraordinary” sight. Source: Supplied

Too late: Sad sight on Parara Beach. Source: Twitter

Another witness, who did not want to be named, told The Advertiser the mass stranding was “very distressing, very sad”.

South Australian Whale Centre co-ordinator Leah Pippos told The Advertiser it was the first time sperm whales had been seen in the area for 25 years.

Ms Pippos said sperm whales relied heavily on sonar as a navigational tool and that noise disruption in the ocean could have sent them off course.

“They are one of the biggest diving whales on earth so they need to get into deep diving areas,” she said.

Too late: Brad Aldridge’s father took these shots Source: Twitter

Sperm whales haven’t been seen at the Yorke Peninsula for a quarter of a century. Source: Twitter

Another resident, Margie Gaisford, said she could see “seven dark shapes” from her Ardrossan home.

“As far as I know so far there is no coordinated rescue effort, but there are people down there,” she said.

SA Museum senior research scientist Cath Kemper said they appeared to be sperm whales and museum and national parks staff were travelling to the scene.

“National parks, I think, are on their way to go over and at least do some crowd control because people will be coming from far and wide,” Ms Kemper said.

“I would say to have a look because in all my 30 something years in the museum, we’ve never had a group of sperm whales come up.”

It’s believed whales beach themselves after becoming disorientated by sonar disruption.

Male sperm whales can grow up to 18m in length and weigh up to 45 tonnes, while females can reach up to 11m and 14 tonnes.

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