Three shark sightings in a month at Chipping Norton Lakes

LURKING in the murky waters of Chipping Norton Lake are sharks. Bull sharks to be more specific — and swimming is being strongly discouraged after two reported sightings this week.

• Family history revealed after 60 years
• Baby barn owls introduced to the world
• $600k de-radicalisation grant for women’s group

LURKING in the murky waters of Chipping Norton Lake are sharks. Bull sharks to be more specific — and swimming is being strongly discouraged after two reported sightings this week.

Two sightings this week were reported on Dorsal Shark Reports, an app that tracks shark sightings around Australia.

The first was on Monday about 5.30pm, 10m from shore.

Racing on Chipping Norton Lake.

A crowd of 15 watched the dorsal fin surface before going back under. It was the second sighting in a month.

HAVE YOU SPOTTED A SHARK? Tell us HERE.

Lurking in the murky waters of Chipping Norton Lakes are bull sharks.

Dean Janda reported the sighting. He walks his dog down there nearly every afternoon and he spotted a few fisherman down at the jetty pointing at the water.

Bull sharks have been known to swim kilometres up estuaries that feed into Sydney Harbour.

“A dorsal fin surfaced for about 20 seconds only 10m from the shore,” Mr Janda said.

“I didn’t see the shark that was spotted a couple of weeks earlier however, one of the fisherman there told me they saw it not too far from the one I saw.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen a shark. I’ve heard reports of them being caught up around Picnic Point but never that far down.”

The next sighting came at 1.10pm on Wednesday. Peter Dean was jet skiing when he spotted a fin come out of the water and circle around in Chipping Norton Lake 7m from shore in the same location of Monday’s sighting.

Georges River Combined Councils Committee river keeper co-ordinator Tony Wales said bull sharks were aggressive and responsible for most shark attacks in Australia.

“It’s normal for them to be up this water, which is why we tell people swimming is not a good idea,” he told the Liverpool Leader.

“Saltwater shouldn’t be taken for granted that it’s safe to swim. If it’s got salt water, there’s sharks.

“It’s probably been two years since we’ve had reports of bull sharks in the lakes but it’s not uncommon.”

Georges River Combined Councils Committee river keeper co-ordinator Tony Wales. Picture: Chris McKeen

Mr Wales said the bull sharks came so far up the estuary normally to breed.

“There are records of attacks in the vicinity dating back over the decades.

Newspapers reported back in 1932, a five foot long shark was stranded during low tide at Chipping Norton. Shots were fired at it, but it managed to get into deeper water and escape.

In January 1934, Wallace McCutcheon, 15, was attacked by a 3m shark while trying to retrieve a tennis ball at Lambeth Reserve, 20km upstream from the mouth of the Georges River.

Chipping Norton Lake.

On New Year’s Eve in 1935, Richard Foden raced his half-brother and friend upriver near Milperra. He was almost there when he was mauled by a shark. Reports state he died in the arms of a fisherman.

On the same day at Kentucky Reserve about 8pm, Beryl Morrin, 13, was swimming with her four siblings in shallow water when a shark got her.

It is reported she called out to her mother, holding up the remaining stumps of her handless arms.

Beryl was rushed to hospital and survived becoming a local legend and continuing to enjoy swimming, diving and bike riding.

Beryl Morrin with a Canterbury Hospital nurse after losing her hands in a shark attack. Picture: State Library of NSW.

A small bull shark sighted in Western Australia. Picture: Robin Morritt

Mr Wales said people continued to swim in the waterways, but said they were doing it at their own risk.

“I’m often surprised by people’s lack of understanding that where there is salt water, there are sharks.

“Often the estuaries are turbid — they don’t have good visibility — so sharks will bump into things and take a bite.”

Tony Anstee, 48, is an avid surfer. He was carving up waves in Ballina in February 2015, the same day a large shark had been sighted, but he had no idea.

And 14 hours later Japanese surfer Tadashi Nakahara was killed in the same location.

Mr Anstee was frustrated that there was no way of communicating with other surfers or swimmers, to notify them of shark sightings.

“I created a Facebook page to help spread the word, then teamed up with Allan Bonito, who created the app called Dorsal.

It is the first Australia-wide reporting system and has been operational for a couple of months.

“We’ve got two shark attack survivors, two marine biologists and a psychologist who has worked with shark attack victims editing our page.”

Mr Anstee said bull shark sightings were common at this time of year, especially in estuaries and rivers.

“They head into rivers and estuaries to breed and feed.

“People assume because it’s a lake or lagoon, sharks won’t be there, but they can survive in fresh water.”