Shark Attacks Force Closure of Sydney Beaches

Australian authorities have closed a 30-kilometer stretch of coastline in Sydney after a third shark attack was reported within 48 hours, prompting heightened safety measures along some of the city’s most popular beaches.

Local officials said all 34 beaches across Sydney’s northern coastline will remain closed until further notice following the latest incident on Monday evening. The decision was announced after a man was seriously injured in a shark attack while surfing off the northern beaches of Sydney.

According to New South Wales police, emergency services were called to North Steyne Beach in the Manly area after reports that a surfer had been bitten. Members of the public pulled the injured man from the water and administered first aid before paramedics arrived. He was treated for severe leg injuries and taken to the hospital in critical condition.

The incident followed two earlier encounters. Earlier on Monday, a teenager’s surfboard was bitten by a shark at Dee Why Beach, while on Sunday, a 13-year-old boy was attacked while swimming in shallow water near a beach in eastern Sydney. Police said the injuries were consistent with an attack by a large shark.

Local authorities urged swimmers and surfers to heed beach closure notices and monitor official safety updates. The Northern Beaches Council stressed that public safety remains the priority as marine patrols and surveillance continue.

Shark encounters are rare but not unprecedented in Australia. Official figures for 2025 show an average of around 20 shark-related incidents causing injury each year over the past decade, with an average of 2.8 fatalities annually nationwide.