Coolum Beach fisher says a shark attack will occur in the Noosa River

A fisherman who hooked a monster bull shark fears it’s a matter of time before a tragedy in the Noosa River after his epic catch at a popular swimming spot. Watch the video.

A Sunshine Coast fisherman fears someone will eventually die in the Noosa River unless shark warnings become more prominent.

Coolum Beach resident Peter Hassett, 40, fishes in the Noosa River about three times a week and last week reeled in a mammoth bull shark, sparking his warning that lives could be lost.

He said that in the past year he’d had to buy more resilient tackle gear and has lost increasingly more fish on the line because they have been “bitten in half” by sharks.

“The WA shark attack, there’s only a matter of time before the same thing happens here,” he said.

Stella Berry was a Year 11 student at Shenton College in Perth and earlier this month she was mauled by a shark while swimming in Perth’s Swan River.

Peter Hassett, 40, was fishing in the Noosa River when he reeled in this bull shark that measured more than 2.5m. Picture: Contributed

Last Thursday night, on February 16, Mr Hassett was fishing with a mate about 150m from the rock wall and sandbag area frequented by backpackers near Noosa Sound when he reeled in a bull shark measuring more than 2.5m.

She looked pregnant with pups, he said, and he took photos with the shark before releasing her.

In July, 2022, The Courier-Mail reported 850 sharks had been caught off protected Queensland beaches in the previous financial year, including the largest – a 4.7m tiger shark – caught off Rainbow Beach.

Luke Anstiss with the bull shark caught in the Noosa River. Photo: Contributed

Mr Hassett said another mate had his outboard motor chewed by a shark recently.

The fisher and dad said he was glad his partner no longer took their toddler too far into the river and he had stopped going out in his kayak at night.

“We’re just trying to make people aware that they’re there,” Mr Hassett said.

He said at night or on dusk sharks could make a mistake that people splashing about in the water were a school of trevally.

One of Peter Hassett's mates' outboard motor was recently chewed by a shark in the Noosa River.

In other incidents, the fisher had become aware of sharks near him when backpackers were swimming only metres away.

‘Our darling girl’: Parents remember 16-year-old shark victim

The fisher said the Noosa River was “such a health waterway” that was home to Mangrove Jack, barramundi and more.

Mr Hassett hoped signage would be erected along the waterway to warn people of the sharks.