Incident Report
Surfer Bitten by Bull Shark at Mullaway Headland, NSW
Arrawarra Headland, New South Wales·Australia
A 22-year-old surfer suffered severe lacerations to his foot after a 1.4-meter bull shark bit him in waist-deep water off Mullaway Headland, New South Wales. The incident occurred in October 2010 during afternoon surf conditions following recent rains that had darkened the water.
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Incident Profile
Circumstances
Environmental
Individual
Location
Description
On Saturday, October 9, 2010, a 22-year-old male surfer was bitten by a juvenile bull shark off Mullaway Headland, approximately 20 to 30 metres from shore near Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. The incident occurred in the afternoon at approximately 1:30 PM in waist-deep water. The surfer was in the water during overcast conditions following recent rains. The sea conditions were characterized by dark, murky water and kelp on the seafloor. After riding a wave, the surfer was paddling back into the lineup when he felt a sudden bite on his foot. He described the encounter as brief, lasting only a few seconds: "My feet were dangling under the board in about waist-deep water, and as I turned jumping back on my board, I felt something grab my foot from the bottom. I just tried to pull my foot out of its mouth." The attack resulted in severe lacerations to the foot. A fellow surfer assisted the victim to shore, and he was transported by ambulance to Coffs Harbour Health Campus. Medical treatment required 63 stitches to repair the injuries, and the surfer was discharged on Monday. Species identification was determined through wound analysis by Professor Mike Bennett from the University of Queensland's School of Biomedical Sciences. The crescent-shaped lacerations observed on the foot were consistent with the cutting teeth of a whaler shark, specifically a bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), estimated at approximately 1.4 metres in length. Bull sharks are known to frequent murky, inshore waters in the region and are capable of thriving in coastal environments.