Man, 60s, attacked by shark while spearfishing off Curtis Island

A man in his 60s has been released from Gladstone Hospital after he was bitten by a shark off Curtis Island.

A man in his 60s bitten by a shark while spearfishing off Curtis Island about 8.25am on December 2 has been released from Gladstone Hospital.

He was initially taken to Curtis Island where he was met by emergency services, before being brought into Gladstone with the assistance of a police boat.

Bystanders who provided crucial first aid for the shark bite victim off the Central Queensland coast this morning have been praised by senior Queensland Ambulance Service staff.

Acting Officer in Charge Gladstone Station Danielle Martin said the bystanders performed “great first aid” to control the bleeding for the patient in his 60s who had suffered minor to moderate wounds to his forearms while spearfishing off Curtis island.

She also praised other services for their rapid response and help in transporting him to Gladstone Hospital in a stable condition.

“We don’t respond to these very often but when we do they are a unique incident that require us to work with other services to bring the patient to hospital in a timely manner,” Ms Martin said.

“We were lucky in this case as shark bites can be significant but we were able to transport him with minor to moderate injuries on this occasion.”

A Fisheries Queensland spokesperson said the department will work with relevant authorities to provide any assistance as required.

“Our thoughts are with the injured man and anyone who witnessed the incident, as well as those who assisted at the scene,” the spokesperson said.

“There are no shark nets or drumlines at this location and there is no information currently available about the circumstances or the shark species involved.”

A shark attack victim was taken to Gladstone Hospital on December 2. Picture: Nilsson Jones

According to the Australian Shark-Incident Database, there have been four other shark attacks in Australian waters so far this year including one at Bargara Beach on March 12.

A girl, aged about 13, is believed to have puncture wounds to her abdomen and lower back.

She was treated for minor wounds after being bitten by a shark while swimming near Nielsen Park Beach about 4pm.

The database showed there were 18 shark attacks Australia-wide in 2023 with one of those in Queensland at Clack Island; 22 attacks in 2022 with one at Redcliffe and 25 attacks in 2021 with two in Queensland - one at Rocky Island and one at Hook Passage.

Fisheries Queensland advised Queensland water lovers to follow the SharkSmart tips every time they are on or in the water:

• Swim between the flags at patrolled beaches and check signage
• Have a buddy and look out for each other
• Avoid swimming at dawn or dusk
• Reduce risk, avoid schools of bait fishing or diving birds
• Keep fish waste and food scraps out of the water where people swim
• Swim in clear water away from people fishing