Palm Beach closed after shark sighting and three rescues on southern beaches

SURF Lifesavers have had a busy start to the New Year’s long weekend on the Gold Coast with a shark sighting and three separate rescues.

Lifeguard James Watson negotiates crowds at Surfers Paradise Beach. Picture: Mike Batterham

SURF Lifesavers have had a busy start to the New Year’s long weekend on the Gold Coast with a shark sighting and three separate rescues.

Just before 11am Palm Beach was closed for a little more than half an hour after a 2m tiger shark was spotted in the water.

#OPEN Surf lifesavers have reopened #PalmBeach after earlier #shark sighting, with marine creature now moving back out to sea. Always #swimbetween the flags 🏖️🏊‍♀️🏖️ pic.twitter.com/R0T4HJ3VUE

— Surf Life Saving QLD (@lifesavingqld) December 30, 2017

The beach was reopened about 11.30am after the shark was seen leaving the waters.

Swimmers at nearby Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach beaches are being warned to be on the look out.

A 55-year-old woman and a 22-year-old woman have been rescued at Miami beach after they were caught in the rip this morning.

Crowds try to cool off in Surfers Paradise. Picture: Mike Batterham

The pair were swimming outside the flags.

Just after lunch an 11-year-old boy was pulled from the water at Tallebudgera.

He had been caught in a rip while bodyboarding outside the flags.

Three more swimmers had to be rescued in Burleigh just after 3pm when they became caught in a tidal current at Burleigh beach.

The swimmers were all in their 20s and swimming outside the flags.

Lifesavers were able to rescue the trio using jet skis to reach them in time.

#RESCUE Lifesavers on jet ski have rescued 3 swimmers in their 20s caught in a tidal current while swimming outside the flags near #Burleigh on the #GoldCoast pic.twitter.com/0duz3e9PwV

— Surf Life Saving QLD (@lifesavingqld) December 30, 2017

None of the swimmers were injured.

Lifesavers have also given first aid to a 55-year-old woman who fractured her ankle in the water at Coolangatta.

The busy start to the weekend comes after calls were made to have migrants answer questions about surf safety on the citizenship test.