Cheesy lump baffles Wellington

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The mystery object washed up on Wellington's south coast may not be cheese but valuable ambergris, the fancy term for whale vomit.

Since Saturday, curious dogs at Breaker Bay have barked, circled and tasted the object, which is the size of a wheelie bin and resembles brie. It has also come under constant attack from seagulls.

Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean said the council had been inundated with calls from people convinced that the large, grey, greasy block found at Breaker Bay is the much sought after and valuable ambergris, which is most commonly used in the manufacture of perfume.

Ambergris is an excretion whales produce in response to irritation caused by squid, which forms a large part of their diet. It washes up on beaches and is considered valuable because of its rarity and the uncertainty of supply.

Mr MacLean said the council was not convinced about the theory but had not yet ruled it out.

On Saturday, someone called because their dog began foaming at the mouth and vomiting after licking it.

The grey lump, roughly the size of a 44-gallon drum and weighing anything up to 500kg would be a "real pain" to shift, Mr MacLean said.

Mr MacLean said a park ranger would have to cut it into pieces. The council might keep a piece to help establish what it was.

The object was at first considered to be a huge piece of cheese.

"The most extraordinary thing is that if it is cheese, why would someone be throwing something so expensive away?"

He said the object "definitely looked like it has come from a ship".

Wellington harbourmaster Mike Pryce said there were no "cheese boats" in the area and no ships had sunk recently.

"I'm intrigued. I have no idea where it could have come from."

"So many people have rung in saying 'it's worth half a million dollars', we feel honour-bound to actually go out and stake our claim on it."

City council officials were planning to meet staff from the Greater Wellington Regional Council, which has responsibility for the region's beaches, this morning to figure out the next move.

In the meantime, the block was not melting or deteriorating other than sustaining a little damage from curious seagulls.

- with NZPA