Four shark attacks in 48 hours across New South Wales, including three in Sydney, have prompted the closure of at least 28 beaches and left the surfing community on edge.
On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy was critically injured on a harbour beach in Vaucluse. The following day, an 11-year-old's surfboard was bitten multiple times at Dee Why, and a 27-year-old man was bitten while surfing at Manly. A fourth attack occurred at Point Plomer on the mid-north coast, where a 39-year-old man was bitten.
Lifelong surfer Matt Chojnacki described the events as "alarming" and cancelled his surfing plans. "I'm less scared of surfing the biggest waves in the world than I am of shark attacks on my local beaches," he said.
Marine ecologist Professor Rob Harcourt, who usually surfs at Manly, also stayed out of the water, citing murky conditions from heavy rainfall as a known risk factor for shark activity.
Several swimming events have been cancelled, including the Big Swim at Whale Beach and the Sydney Harbour Splash. The Cole Classic remains scheduled with added drone surveillance.
