It’s the first, fatal shark attack in Sydney since 1963.      

According to reports in the mainstream press a man was swimming at Little Bay Beach, just south of Maroubra, when he was attacked by a shark. A fisherman witnessed the attack at close proximity and was reported to be so upset by the tragic scene he couldn’t stop vomiting. 

The attack comes in the wake of a massive growth in the popularity of Ocean swimming – particularly around Sydney’s beaches. It’s not uncommon to see groups and individuals swimming laps well beyond the break zone in Sydney’s eastern beaches. Some groups swim around headlands from beach-to-beach at Bondi and Bronte. The swim around Wedding Cake Island at Coogee is another popular route for Ocean Swimming devotees. Large sharks have been sighted by such groups in the past but reports are typically kept under the radar to avoid the spread of fear.

The area around Little Bay is also host to several, quirky surf breaks.   

While chat groups around Sydney’s east light up with shark talk, the incident has put the shark debate front and centre once again. It’s a sad reality but there is little doubt that when an incident like this occurs at a city beach it invokes more discussion than when it happens in a remote community; simply because there are more people living in closer proximity to the incident. At present the shark attack mitigation systems used in Sydney’s eastern beaches include drum lines and nets. While it’s true Little Bay Beach is arguably a more obscure city beach, it will be interesting to see how nearby Randwick and Waverley Councils respond to the most recent incident.   

Our thoughts go out to the family members of the deceased.