On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy was attacked after jumping from a six-metre (20-foot) ledge known as Jump Rock near Shark Beach inside Sydney Harbour. In response, beaches along New South Wales’ northern coast and Sydney’s northern beaches were closed on Tuesday, with authorities saying closures would remain in place for at least 48 hours. Officials warned that recent rainfall had left coastal waters murky, increasing the risk of bull shark attacks. Dee Why Beach is close to the site where a 57-year-old surfer was killed by a suspected great white shark last September. Australia records about 20 shark attacks each year, with fewer than three resulting in fatalities, according to data from conservation groups — figures that are far lower than the number of drownings on the country’s beaches.

Source: The Telegraph January 20, 2026 12:43 UTC