Wildlife officials in Australia said Sunday that 150 whales stranded on a remote coastline in Tasmania island, died after being battered by strong waves on rocks while rescuers frustratingly tried to save them.

Rescuers from the Tasmania state's Parks and Wildlife Service rushed to the remote site at Sandy Cape in an effort to save an estimated 12 whales spotted Saturday injured but still alive. However, the whales have died by Sunday.

Wildlife spokesman Warwick Brennan said a body count of the whales showed a total of 150 have died after suffering injures because the coastline is strewn with reefs and jagged rocks.

Rosemary Gales, another wildlife service official say whales die faster when stranded on rocks than on sandy beach due to physical beating from the surf and the rocks.

Brennan said about 30 whales found milling offshore was saved from standing after they where lured back to the sea by a boat.

He added the dead whales would be left so their bodies would break down instead of being buried.

Last week, 65 long-finned pilot whales died after being stranded at Anthony's Beach on Tasmania's north-west coast.