Tasmanian shark attack victim Justine Barwick undergoing surgery to save leg

A TASMANIAN woman who was attacked by shark in the Whitsundays was last night having surgery in an effort to save her leg.

A TASMANIAN woman who was attacked by shark in the Whitsundays was last night having surgery in an effort to save her leg.

Justine Barwick, 46, of Burnie, was in theatre at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, with the focus of her care shifting from life-saving measures to preservation of her injured leg.

The mother-of-two was mauled by a shark while swimming near a yacht at Cid Harbour off the Whitsundays’ Sawmill Bay about 5pm on Wednesday.

She suffered a life-threatening bite to her upper right leg and was flown to Mackay Base Hospital before being moved to Royal Brisbane on Wednesday night.

Her condition had improved from critical to stable on Thursday night.

NEW DETAILS ON SHARK ATTACK

Shark attack victim Justine Barwick from Tasmania. Picture AAPimage/David Clark

Ms Barwick’s family, including her young adult daughters Sarah and Kate, are in Hobart and being supported by friends and family.

“She’s a tough egg and I wouldn’t bet against her, she’ll get through this,” Sarah said.

Ms Barwick’s husband, Craig, remains at her bedside.

Ms Barwick is the operations manager at Family Based Care Association North West. Family Based Care Tasmania chief executive Douglass Doherty said his team was heartened by the ongoing outpouring of support and well wishes for their colleague.

Justine Barwick. (AAP Image/Family Based Care Tasmania, Ed Jones)

He has been in regular contact with Ms Barwick’s husband.

“She went into theatre this afternoon ... even at 7.30pm she was still in theatre so when I spoke to Craig, her husband, she was still there,” Mr Doherty said.

Melbourne schoolgirl Hannah Papps was attacked by a shark in the same area less than 24 hours after Mrs Barwick was injured.

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Rescuers said the 12-year-old smiled and gave the thumbs up as she was loaded into a helicopter at a remote beach on Whitsunday ­Island.

Hannah was yesterday flown from Mackay to the Queensland Children’s Hospital by the Royal Flying Doctor Service after local hospital staff worked through the night to stabilise her.

Rescuers said she was “brave” and “stoic”, despite having horrific injuries to her leg that have left her in a critical condition since Thursday’s attack­.