Mysterious object washes up on remote Australia beach

Australian authorities were looking into the origin of a large unidentified object which washed up on a remote beach in the state of Western Australia.

On Monday, the Western Australia Police Force said it was coordinating a joint investigation into the origins of the barnacle-encrusted cylindrical object, which was found on Sunday on a beach near Jurien Bay, about 250 kilometres north of Perth.

"The object could be from a foreign space launch vehicle and we are liaising with global counterparts who may be able to provide more information," the Australian Space Agency (ASA) said on Monday on Twitter.

"As the origin of the object is unknown, the community should avoid handling or attempting to move the object."

News agency AAP cited WA police as saying on Monday night that an analysis of the object by the Department of Fire and Emergency Service and Chemistry Centre of Western Australia determined the item was safe and "there is no current risk to the community."

The Sunrise on 7 programme cited experts as ruling out the sea or the sky as the object's origin and investigating space instead.

The programme cited the International Space Centre at the University of Western Australia as saying that the object was believed to be from an Indian space launch which took place some months ago.