The Eyre Peninsula has been left heartbroken after the death of Lance Appleby in a shark attack

The Eyre Peninsula community have been left shell-shocked after 28-year-old Lance Appleby was killed in a shark attack.

Lance Appleby was the backbone of his football club, a beloved teammate and talented sportsman with the world at his feet.

But now his family, friends and sporting communities here and interstate have been left shattered after the 28-year-old was killed in a shark attack off the Eyre Peninsula.

The Port Lincoln local was surfing off an area known as Granites, at the Westall Way Loop at Westall, about 7.10pm on Thursday when he was attacked. Authorities have as yet been unable to recover his body.

Streaky Bay man Lance Appleby was killed in a shark attack at Granites beach. Picture: Facebook,

Streaky Bay man Lance Appleby. Picture: Facebook,

Following Thursday’s incident, police said a local resident on a jet ski went to the site of the attack and retrieved Mr Appleby’s board with “part of a leg rope and a bite out of (it)” – but found no other trace of the missing surfer.

Mr Appleby, who was visiting his home town from Queensland for the holidays when tragedy struck, has been remembered as an “all-round good bloke and bloody champion man”. Well known in the Eyre Peninsula community, Mr Appleby attended Streaky Bay Area School, played football for Marble Range Football Club and worked for a time at the local bakery.

The Advertiser understands Mr Appleby had permanently moved to Queensland for work at the start of 2023, and played for Tweed Coast Tigers Football Club.

Tweed Coast Tigers president Andrew Ryan said Mr Appleby had intended to continue playing for the club next season as vice-captain, and now the football community had been left reeling.

“His professionalism and work ethic were noticeable from the very start,” Mr Ryan said. “Not only was he a massively important part of our backline with his playing attributes, his football brain and the knowledge he passed on to his teammates was second to none. More importantly than his football skill was the fact that he was an all-round good bloke – a bloody champion man.”

The search continues for missing surfer, Lance Appleby. Picture Dean Martin

Mr Ryan said Mr Appleby’s tremendous character won him recognition among the team.

“Lance missed six games this last season but still managed to be the equal winner in our best and fairest (and) he was to be named vice-captain this coming season,” he said.

“His teammates and the whole Tweed Coast Tigers community are completely devastated by his passing and pass on our condolences, love and prayers to his family.”

Before Thursday’s incident, multiple reports of a shark in the area had been shared online, with local fisherman Jeff Schmucker warning on Thursday afternoon of a “large great white” acting “aggressively” near Granites beach.

Mr Schmucker said witnesses to the attack saw Mr Appleby – who was surfing with a large group – flipped off a wave before being dragged underwater while swimming back to his board.

He said his friend had taken a jet ski out and found the board about 500m from shore.

Mr Schmucker was close friends with Mr Appleby and called him an “astute surfer”.

“He was a well-liked young man and aspiring surfer as well,” he told FIVEaa radio.

“He was a good surfer and knew the water, loved the coast and the ocean.”

Mr Schmucker said sightings of great whites in the area had increased, labelling that and the number of surfers out on the water as a “recipe for disaster”. Mr Appleby’s death comes after a 55-year-old male surfer was killed by a great white shark in a frenzied attack near Granite Rock, along the same area of coastline, on October 31, 2023.

Tod Gendle, who was new to the area, was fatally mauled while swimming at a surf break at Granites Beach.

Streaky Bay search continues for missing surfer, Lance Appleby. Picture Dean Martin

On Friday morning, Assistant Police Commissioner John De Candia confirmed that a report was being prepared for the coroner over Mr Appleby’s death.

“It’s a very sad, tragic circumstance for the family,” he said.“ Any death in these circumstances is absolutely tragic.” Mr De Candia said local police, statewide police, water operations, STAR operations, local marine rescue and local SES would continue their search on Friday to try and recover Mr Appleby’s body.

On Friday afternoon, three SES Rescue vessels searching for Mr Appleby’s body could be seen travelling in a grid format across the water at Granites. Police said the full-scale search would resume on Saturday morning, with the beach to remain closed overnight on Friday.

In a heartbreaking tribute, three sunflowers were left at the entrance to a nearby beach. Streaky Bay Mayor Travis Barber said the community was “hurting and we ask for understanding as we collectively grieve and support one another’’.

“In times like these, it is important to remember that the individual was not only a valued member of our community, but also a cherished son, family member, and friend,’’ he said in a statement.

University of South Australia Dr Brianna Le Busque said there was no hard evidence that shark numbers were increasing in SA waters, but the Eyre Peninsula was the “perfect habitat for white sharks’’ with access to food such as seals and tuna.

“It’s a known nursery or breeding ground for white sharks really close to where this bite occurred,’’ she said.

“All of the shark scientists are out in the boats in Lincoln, trying to figure it out, but we don’t know why yet.”

Originally published as The Eyre Peninsula has been left heartbroken after the death of Lance Appleby in a shark attack