Surfer Severely Bitten by Great White at Port Macquarie Beach

The victim's husband leapt onto the attacking great white shark and punched it repeatedly until it released her, an act of heroism widely documented across multiple credible sources and described by witnesses as directly saving her life.

On the morning of August 14, 2020, a shark incident occurred at Shelly Beach, an exposed beach break approximately 250 kilometers north of Sydney near Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia. At 9:30 a.m., a 35-year-old female surfer and experienced diver was attacked while sitting on her surfboard approximately 15 meters from shore in shallow water. The shark, later confirmed by the Department of Primary Industries to be a juvenile great white shark measuring 2 to 3 meters in length, knocked her from her board and bit her leg. Her husband immediately responded by leaping onto the shark's back and punching it repeatedly until it released her. Witnesses reported the shark subsequently swimming along the beach while carrying her surfboard in its mouth. The victim sustained severe lacerations to her right calf and posterior thigh. Immediate first aid was administered by nearby surfers Peter Lobb, Jed Toohey, his 16-year-old daughter Dominica, and others who used board leashes as tourniquets to control blood loss. Paramedics treated her at the scene before she was transported to Port Macquarie Base Hospital and subsequently airlifted to Newcastle Hospital for surgical treatment. Environmental conditions at the time included air temperatures of 17-20°C, thunderstorms, and mean low tide occurring at 10:20 a.m. Following the incident, local authorities closed all beaches in the nearby area for at least 24 hours and conducted coastal surveillance using drones, jetskis, and inflatable rescue boats. The victim's calm demeanor and the rapid intervention of her husband and fellow surfers were critical factors in preventing a more severe outcome.