A surfer has escaped without injury after a frightening shark attack at an Australian beach. Helluva story to pass down the generations, thankfully no one was harmed.
Photo: @jamesonsurfboards_
Tweed Shire Council posted the following on their socials below.
At approximately 7.30am today, Surf Life Saving NSW was notified, via a 000 call, of an incident at Norries Headland, Cabarita Beach where a local surfer had a huge chunk bitten out of his surfboard. Lifesavers responded immediately. Drone monitoring was launched soon after and has continued throughout the day. Cabarita Beach has been closed since then as a precaution, while all other Tweed Coast beaches remain open and are being actively monitored.
A 5 metre White shark was caught and released from the SMART Drumline at Norries Headland, Cabarita Beach today at 9.52am and the shark was also spotted by Dorsal Shark Reports just after noon.
Last month, NSW Fisheries presented an update to Tweed Shire Council about their Shark Management Program and at that meeting, Mayor Chris Cherry asked if there were opportunities for additional drone surveillance in our shire - a call we have repeated today.
Tweed Shire Council is seeking additional funding from the NSW Government to support extended drone patrols beyond peak holiday periods. These patrols are a vital part of the NSW Shark Management Program, which also includes SMART drumlines and listening stations along the coast. Together, these measures allow for real-time alerts through the SharkSmart app, website and social media, helping to keep swimmers and surfers safe.
Dave Rope from Surf Lifesaving Far North Coast described the surfer as “very, very lucky” and urged caution. Surf Life Saving NSW is asking the public to follow the direction of lifesavers and lifeguards and avoid entering the water at Cabarita Beach until further notice.
Beachgoers are reminded to:
• Swim between the flags and obey lifesaver instructions
• Avoid entering the water when fish are schooling or seabirds are feeding
• Check the SharkSmart app before heading out
Council will continue working with Surf Life Saving NSW and NSW Fisheries to support these important safety measures for our community - and while we know that the surfer is 'rattled', we're very pleased that he got out of the water safely today.
