Incident Report
Whaler Shark Incident During Surfing at Point Lookout, 1980
north stradbroke island, point lookout, Queensland·Australia
A 21-year-old male surfer sustained minor lacerations to his calf in a whaler shark encounter at Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island, Queensland in March 1980.
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Incident Profile
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Description
In March 1980, a surfing incident occurred at Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia. A 21-year-old male surfer was injured when a whaler shark made contact, resulting in minor lacerations to the calf. The surfer was treated for the non-fatal injury. Whaler sharks (genus Carcharhinus) are known to inhabit Australian coastal waters and have been involved in various incidents with ocean users. Point Lookout, situated on the northern tip of North Stradbroke Island, is a popular coastal recreational area exposed to open ocean conditions. The incident remains part of the historical record of shark-human interactions along Queensland's coastline.