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Shark attack: Beachgoers ignore shark attack warning signs at Byron Bay

The threat of a shark attack was not enough to keep swimmers and surfers out of the waters in northern NSW yesterday, with beachgoers choosing to ignore warning signs.

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THE threat of a shark attack was not enough to keep swimmers and surfers out of the waters in Byron Bay yesterday.

Dozens of visitors ignored signs warning both Main Beach and Belongil Beach were closed following the attack on surfer Sam Edwardes just hours earlier.

One woman, visiting from the Gold Coast with her mother, said the attack was “really frightening” but wouldn’t stop her swimming.

Beachgoers were still happy to swim at Main Beach, Byron Bay, just hours after a man was bitten by a shark.
Beachgoers were still happy to swim at Main Beach, Byron Bay, just hours after a man was bitten by a shark.

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“Mum actually said, ‘I bet if I tell you not to swim you will’, and she’s absolutely right,” she said.

“I think I’ll just stay in the shallow part, a shark wouldn’t go there.”

Boards in the Bay manager Joe Clifton said the attack was the first in his six years working in the area, and hadn’t affected business.

Beaches at Byron Bay are closed after a man was bitten by a shark this morning.
Beaches at Byron Bay are closed after a man was bitten by a shark this morning.

“People were still lining up this morning looking to rent boards, I asked them if they’d heard about what had happened,” he said.

“They were just like, ‘Yeah, still gonna surf, lightning doesn’t strike twice’.

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“It’s a really random thing to have happened and the fact it’s happened that early in the day hasn’t scared people. There’s safety in numbers, rather than in an isolated time of day like that.”

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Tweed Byron Police Chief Inspector Matt Kehoe confirmed they would reassess the beaches this morning before likely declaring them open.

“It hasn’t deterred a large number of surfers that are still in the water but we can only provide them the advice through Surf Lifesaving,” he said.

“They’ve had IRBs and jet skis out in the water patrolling along with the Surf Lifesaving helicopter.

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Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/lifestyle/shark-attack-beachgoers-ignore-shark-attack-warning-signs-at-byron-bay/news-story/7d8f290ed351219325fc943e9099e1de