Port Macquarie shark sighting: Lake Cathie beach closed after 2nd spotting
Locals say they were left flabbergasted after a shark was seen at a beach near Port Macquarie in northern NSW, for the second time recently. SEE THE VIDEO
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Beachgoers will be on high alert this summer after two fatal shark attacks on the east coast and another beach forced to close on Monday after multiple shark sightings.
The popular Lake Cathie was closed after a “large” shark was spotted in the water over the past two days.
Lana Smith filmed the shark swimming in the water on Sunday.
“We heard about the shark in the lake but didn’t necessarily believe it was in there and was then quite gobsmacked to see it,” she said.
“All the kids were screaming and we couldn’t believe we have seen a shark in the lake.
“It’s pretty scary thinking the people use the lake for recreational purposes and there is a shark in there.”
Yesterday, a crowd looked around the lake for the shark after reports the 3m beast had been spotted again.
“Lifeguards have erected warning signs after multiple sightings of a large shark trapped in shallow waters near the Lake Cathie bridge yesterday as well as today,” a post by Port Macquarie Australian Lifeguards read.
“Swimming near the bridges is not advised until further notice.”
It raised concerns for planned summer activities, as the lake is home of junior surf life saving groups, fishers, swimmers, stand-up paddle boarders and native animals.
The enclosed lake is separated from the ocean by a large sand bank but council’s diggers cleared a stream in May to allow large floodwaters to escape.
Locals, many of whom have lived at Lake Cathie for decades, said they had not seen a shark in the water before then.
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Lake Cathie photographer Brett Dolsen spotted a shark in the lake two weeks ago and another six weeks ago.
“I’ve never seen a shark before in the lake in 12 years, or heard of one, and I’ve been in Lake Cathie for 30 years,” he said.
“There have only been reports that I heard had come from before that period.”
It comes after surfer Nick Slater was killed by a shark attack at Coolangatta in September and Mani Hart-Deville died following a shark bite at the NSW Mid-North Coast on July.