White shark sighting reported at Tea Tree Bay Beach
A 3.5m great white has been reported near a popular surfing spot at Noosa sparking a flurry of reactions from scepticism to surfers recounting their own sightings of the “local” shark.
Sunshine Coast
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A jet ski rider has reported spotting a 3.5-metre great white shark near Tea Tree Bay Beach, a popular but unpatrolled surf spot at Noosa.
The sighting, reported on Thursday by Aiden Puhar, was submitted to Dorsal Watch, a shark warning platform, sparking more than 200 reactions.
“Coming over a wave, I saw it from my jetski, a big black-greyish fin 50 metres away from me. Then it disappeared,” Mr Puhar said.
Dorsal Watch later posted the report on their Facebook page, Dorsal – Queensland Shark Reports, prompting a wave of comments from locals and beachgoers.
While some commenters doubted the shark’s species, others shared their own experiences and theories.
Tony Isaacson, a marine enthusiast, suggested it might have been a tiger shark rather than a great white.
“Most unusual at this time of the year even for a subadult. I am more inclined to think that the white shark was a tiger shark knowing that they are patrolling behind the surf line-ups from Rainbow Beach to Caloundra at this time of the year looking for easy pickings during the loggerhead and green turtle nesting season,” Mr Isaacson said.
Others were more sceptical. Local surfer Lochy Bob referenced nearby dolphins and questioned the accuracy of the identification.
“Not sure I would trust their marine taxonomy knowledge,” Mr Bob said.
Martene Renzulli, however, recalled a similar sighting.
“I saw this guy New Year’s Day 2024. He was bigger,” Mr Renzulli said.
“He was just cruising near Boiling Pot … took my breath away at the sheer size of him.”
And Peter Mitchell posted: “I've seen it off Boiling Pot in last five years. It's a local with no issues.”
Tea Tree Bay Beach, part of the Noosa National Park, is renowned for its pristine waters and surf breaks but remains unpatrolled.
In August, boaties captured the moment a 5m great white shark ‘taste-tested’ their tinnie in waters off the Sunshine Coast, as sightings of the species have increased around the region.
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Originally published as White shark sighting reported at Tea Tree Bay Beach
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