After four shark attacks in 48 hours, NSW authorities urge beachgoers to stay away from the water.
A surfer was taken to the hospital after a shark bit him off the coast of a national park campground in New South Wales, marking the state's fourth incident in just 48 hours. The man, aged 39, was in stable condition with minor injuries. The attack occurred near the Point Plomer campground, located less than 20km up the coast from Port Macquarie, on Tuesday morning.
The Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive, Steven Pearce, advised against heading into the surf, emphasizing the poor water quality conducive to bull shark activity. He stated, 'If anyone’s thinking of heading into the surf this morning, anywhere along the northern beaches, think again. We have two people critically injured in hospital this morning. Just go to a local pool, because at this stage, we’re advising that the beaches are unsafe.'
The agency has activated drone surveillance and lifeguard teams in the area near Crescent Head, who are traveling to the beach on jet skis. Donna Wishart, a communications manager at Surf Life Saving NSW, confirmed that the group had been told the man suffered grazes to his leg after coming into contact with a shark.
In an Instagram post, Port Macquarie Australian Lifeguard Service announced the closure of beaches between Town Beach and Crescent Head due to a 'shark bite incident'. The NSW Department of Primary Industries was aware of the incident and promised to release a statement later in the day.
The Sydney region has experienced a surge in shark attacks in recent days, following a period of heavy rain. A 12-year-old boy remains in hospital after being bitten near Sydney's Nielsen Park on Sunday. An 11-year-old surfer had his board bitten by a shark at Dee Why on Monday, and a 27-year-old man from Wollongong remained in a critical but stable condition after being bitten by a shark at Manly Beach on Monday evening.
Twenty-eight beaches, including Sydney's northern beaches and many around the Vaucluse area, are closed until at least Thursday. Multiple beaches on the state's mid-north coast are also closed. Experts attribute the increased shark activity to brackish and murky conditions in Sydney Harbour and along the coastline, which make swimming dangerous and attract sharks and bait fish.
NSW police have urged the public to avoid the water in such conditions. Shark bites are rare in Sydney Harbour, with only four in the past 50 years, including a woman who was seriously injured after a bull shark bit her leg in Elizabeth Bay in 2024. However, experts caution that bull sharks are opportunistic hunters, and shark bites can occur as the animals seek to eat whatever is in front of them.
Swimmers are advised to follow general safety guidelines, such as swimming in groups, avoiding dawn and dusk, and staying out of the ocean and waterways after heavy rainfall, especially in estuaries, due to the murky conditions. Professor Jodie Rummer of James Cook University emphasizes the importance of being 'shark smart' and highlights the unique ability of bull sharks to tolerate brackish and freshwater environments, increasing the chances of encounters.
