In a concerning spate of incidents, four shark attacks have occurred in just 48 hours along the mid-north coast of New South Wales. Authorities are now urging beachgoers to reconsider entering the water, advising them to “just go to a pool” for the time being.
The latest attack took place on Tuesday morning near the Point Plomer campground, less than 20 kilometres up the coast from Port Macquarie. A 39-year-old surfer was taken to the hospital with minor injuries after being bitten by a shark. Steven Pearce, the chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, warned that the water quality in the area is “conducive to bull shark activity,” with two people already critically injured in recent attacks.
The Sydney region has seen a concerning number of shark encounters in recent days, following a period of heavy rainfall. A 12-year-old boy remains hospitalised after being bitten near Nielsen Park on Sunday, while an 11-year-old surfer had his board bitten at Dee Why on Monday. A man in his 20s is also in critical condition after a shark attack at Manly beach on Monday evening.
Experts attribute the increase in shark activity to the brackish and murky conditions in Sydney Harbour and along the coastline, which draw in sharks and the baitfish they prey upon. NSW Police have urged the public to avoid the water in such conditions, and numerous beaches on Sydney’s northern beaches have been closed until at least Thursday.
Donna Wishart, a communications manager at Surf Life Saving NSW, said the agency has activated drone surveillance and lifeguard teams in the affected areas. The NSW Department of Primary Industries is also aware of the incidents and is expected to release a statement later in the day.
While shark bites are relatively rare in Sydney Harbour, with just four in the past 50 years, experts warn that bull sharks are opportunistic hunters and attacks can occur as the animals seek to consume whatever is in front of them. The key message, according to Professor Jodie Rummer of James Cook University, is to be “shark smart” – swimming in groups, avoiding dawn and dusk, and staying out of the water after heavy rainfall.
