T
he unique landscape of Sydney’s Lower North Shore is predicated on the estuaries that surround it, the Lane Cove River to the south and Middle Harbour to the north-east. With an absence of nearby open-water beaches, these rivers are often used by locals for various kinds of aquatic activities, whether it’s sailing, fishing, kayaking or swimming. It goes without saying that these waterways are shared with a diverse range of marine animals – sharks included. So how much of a risk is there really?
It was only a few weeks ago on the first day of February that three bull sharks were spotted circling near the Spit Bridge, as reported by the Mosman Collective. In January 2024, a 29-year-old woman swimming at Elizabeth Bay was attacked by a shark and suffered a serious injury to her leg.
According to the Australian Shark-Incident Database (ASID), shark bites have steadily increased in Australia. The leading theory for this is due to the rise of people engaging in water-based activities. In other words, more people mean more attacks.
Dr Vanessa Pirotta is a marine scientist and founder of ‘Wild Sydney Harbour’ which seeks to educate the public on Sydney Harbour’s wildlife. In response to these findings Pirotta said, “We are more connected than ever, so if we hear of something like this, we will know about it.”
Yet, ASID only records shark-to-human interactions, meaning there’s very limited data that considers the threat posed to our furry, four-legged friends – dogs.
Local dog groomer Graham Manley has been working with dogs in the North Shore for the last two years. “I’ve had four dogs in the last six months [that were eaten by sharks] which is quite a lot in that space of time.” According to Mr Manley, the first incident occurred in the Northbridge area where a Labrador puppy was fetching a stick in the bay and “disappeared without a splash.” In Riverview, two Cavoodles were swimming around a boat jetty when they too disappeared underwater and in mid-January this year, a large dog was taken in the harbour off Longueville with no splashing.
Sydney Harbour is an important and regular habitat for the eastern Australian Bull shark. Research shows that they’re the only potentially dangerous species of shark found all throughout Sydney Harbour.
Though for the most part, sharks stay out of our way. Dr Pirotta says sharks often get a “bad rap” from the media. “Sharks are doing their thing and we’re doing our thing,” she said. “We as humans sometimes forget the important ecological role that sharks play in the environment.”
Although a bull shark encounter remains relatively rare, the experts recommend all water-users to exercise caution especially during the summer and autumn months when water temperatures are at their highest, during nocturnal and twilight hours, and where shallow waters are close to steep drop-offs.
Whilst the research shows how rare a shark attack is, it still pays to be shark smart next time you head down to the riverbank.
