Shark filmed circling inside Tipplers swimming enclosure at Stradbroke Island apparently ‘jumped’ inside chasing fish

THE massive shark spotted in a popular Gold Coast swimming enclosure apparently “jumped over the enclosure’s inflatable perimeter” according to the Gold Coast City Council. SEE THE VIDEO.

THE massive shark spotted in a popular Gold Coast swimming enclosure apparently “jumped over the enclosure’s inflatable perimeter” according to the Gold Coast City Council.

Footage of a 2m bull shark stranded in the Tipplers swimming enclosure off South Stradbroke Island yesterday has gone viral.

Jeanette Haskew, who shot the incredible footage, has revealed what happened in the moments before she discovered the animal was lurking in the enclosure.

The shark spotted swimming inside the enclosure at Tipplers. Pic: Jeanette Haskew.

She said her daughter Grace, 4, narrowly avoided jumping in with the predator.

“Normally my little girl jumps straight in,” Ms Haskew said of spotting the shark at about 9.45am yesterday.

“But someone said it looked like a dolphin was in there, so we ran over and had a look.”

They soon found out it wasn’t a dolphin, which are known to get caught inside enclosures.

After seeing the shark, Grace can be heard saying “I can’t swim in there”.

Council said workers closed the enclosure yesterday and delated the floats so the shark could escape.

“City officers acted quickly and temporarily closed the enclosure off from the public, the perimeter floats were deflated, allowing the enclosure nets to fall to the bottom allowing the shark to swim out of the enclosure,” a council spokesman said.

Today council said the net was inspected and workers found no damage or holes that the shark could have swam through.

The shark circles inside the swimming enclosure at Tipplers. Pic: Jeanette Haskew.

Council said the shark may have jumped into the enclosure while chasing bait fish.

“With the increased activity of bait fish in the water at this time of year, it’s not unusual for bull sharks to breach out of the water,” he said.

“It is assumed the shark may have entered the enclosure by jumping over the enclosure’s inflatable perimeter.

“Today officers inspected the nets and found no damage or holes. Officers also snorkelled the entire enclosure and confirmed the shark was no longer within the enclosure.”

Ms Haskew, a Hope Island resident, said she didn’t think the shark was dangerous.

“It did a couple of laps, but the tide was dropping and we didn’t see it again (because it went into the deeper water),” she said.

“I don’t know if it would have attacked, it seemed pretty stressed out — it could have been there for quite a while,” she said.

“My daughter was fine, she ended up going for a little dip beside the enclosure.”

Ms Haskew said the viral online video of the shark had brought out a lot of “drama queens” commenting on the footage which has been shared more than 1800 times on Facebook.

“The reaction has been hilarious, people love drama,” she said.