Incident Report
Young Surfer Injured by Wobbegong at Charlesworth Beach, October 2003
coffs harbour, charlesworth beach, New South Wales·Australia
A 12-year-old male surfer sustained minor lacerations to his foot during an encounter with a 1.2-metre wobbegong at Charlesworth Beach, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.
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Incident Profile
Individual
Location
Description
In October 2003, a shark incident occurred at Charlesworth Beach near Coffs Harbour on the New South Wales coast. A 12-year-old male surfer came into contact with a wobbegong measuring approximately 1.2 metres in length while surfing in this coastal zone. The encounter resulted in minor lacerations to the victim's foot. The wobbegong, a small carpet shark species commonly found in Australian coastal waters, is generally docile and typically poses minimal risk to humans. This incident was classified as non-fatal, with the victim sustaining injuries that did not result in serious harm.