Mysterious 'Giant Metal Dome' Washes Up on Australian Beach, Baffling Authorities and Locals

The object was found on Green Head beach, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Perth, by people who live in the area.

State and federal authorities are investigating the object, which is not currently believed to be from a commercial aircraft.

The object is being treated as hazardous, and police have requested that people keep a safe distance from it.

"We want to reassure the community that we are actively engaged in a collaborative effort with various State and Federal agencies to determine the object's origin and nature," police said in a statement.

Locals who visited the site said the cylinder was about 2.5 meters wide and between 2.5 and 3 meters long.

Residents described the object as a "great social evening" with one local saying that it was a "lovely, still night" and that kids were digging sandcastles around it.

Aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas believes that the object is possibly a fuel tank from a rocket that had fallen into the Indian Ocean at some stage in the past 12 months.

The Australian Space Agency said it was possible that the giant cylinder could have fallen from a "foreign space launch vehicle" and they would liaise with other international agencies.

While there was some speculation that the cylinder may have been a part of MH370, a plane that went missing off the west Australian coast in 2014 with 239 passengers on board, Thomas said there was "no chance." He added that it's not any part of a Boeing 777 and the fact is MH370 was lost nine and a half years ago so it would show a great deal more wear and tear on the debris.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the origin and nature of the mysterious object.

Residents of the area are curious, but cautious, as they await further information about the strange find on their local beach.