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A 39-year-old surfer has been bitten by a suspected bull shark in New South Wales, marking the fourth shark attack across NSW in just 48 hours
03:51, Tue, Jan 20, 2026 Updated: 03:57, Tue, Jan 20, 2026
A shark sighting sign on a beach in Australia [file image] (Image: Getty)
A man has been bitten by a shark, marking the fourth such attack on the typically tranquil coastline within just 48 hours.
The victim, a 39 year old surfer, was bitten by what is believed to be a bull shark off the coast of New South Wales in Australia, as confirmed by New South Wales Ambulance, The Mirror reports.
The incident occurred at Point Plomer on NSW's Mid North Coast on Tuesday morning when the shark bit through his surfboard. Fortunately, the board bore the brunt of the attack and he was rushed to hospital with only minor cuts and scrapes to one of his legs.
Local surfers told ABC that they had spotted several sharks in the water at the time of the attack, identifying them as potential bull sharks. Bull sharks are known for their aggressive behaviour and territorial nature, often hunting in shallow waters, which leads to more frequent encounters with humans compared to other shark species.
Shark experts suggest that current conditions in NSW - warm sea temperatures and murky water due to recent storms - are creating ideal circumstances for bull shark activity.
Steve Pearce, Chief Executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, told ABC that the 39 year old was fortunate to have survived, given that the area where he was surfing is notorious for shark sightings.
"[He's] very fortunate to not have sustained any serious injuries," he said.
The location where the man was attacked was remote, unprotected by nets, and lacked smart drumlines to safeguard swimmers and surfers from the ocean's apex predator.
"Anytime after a big weather event there's always going to be a lot of run-off and out flow of creeks into the ocean and river mouths. We really strongly advocate that nobody swim or surf near river mouths because it's obviously an area where sharks congregate. If it's dirty water I'd think twice about going in there."
Peace continued: "We have such poor water quality that's conducive to bull shark activity ... [so] just go to a local pool, because at this stage, we're advising that the beaches are unsafe."
Bull shark with open mouth in blue water below the surface. (Image: Getty Images)
Kempsey-Crescent Head Surf Life Saving Club captain Matt Worrall emphasised that the man was extraordinarily fortunate to sustain only minor injuries. "The surfboard seemed to take most of the impact," he said.
The Kempsey Crescent Head Surf Lifesaver noted that the recent surge in shark attacks has baffled lifeguards, with ocean experts reporting no rise in shark sightings or population increases compared with previous seasons.
"We've all got our own theories as to what's going on," he said. "I personally haven't seen more sharks this season compared to other seasons. We think it has something to do with the freshwater that's been pushing the sharks out of the river systems."
This shark attack represents New South Wales' fourth incident within just a few days.
A sign on Manly beach Australia warns of a shark sighting (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
On Monday, a 27 year old man sustained critical injuries following a bite at North Steyne Beach in Manly, located on Sydney's northern beaches. NSW Police report the man has suffered "life-changing injuries" during the attack and remains in critical condition after undergoing surgery.
Earlier the same day, another surfer narrowly avoided injury when a shark bit a chunk from his surfboard at Dee Why Beach, also situated on the state's northern beaches.
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This followed Sunday's mauling of a young boy in Sydney Harbour, with the child remaining critical after sustaining injuries to both legs at the ironically named Shark Beach. The perpetrator is also believed to be a bull shark, with NSW Police noting the boy and his friends had been leaping from rocks into murky water, clouded by recent storm conditions.
Shark surveillance drones have been dispatched to the Port Macquarie region following the latest attack. Swimming locations across the northern beaches have been shut to both surfers and swimmers for the following 48 hours.
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