Swimmer Attacked by Shark at Bribie Island Jetty

On December 30, 1919, John Brothy, a 29-year-old single clerk employed by the Queensland Machinery Company and residing at Beerwah on the North Coast Line, was swimming near the jetty at Bribie Island in Queensland, Australia. The location featured approximately 20 feet of water in the Coral Sea. While swimming, Brothy was attacked by a shark species that was not identified in the incident report. The encounter resulted in severe lacerations to his left leg. The injury was classified as moderate in severity. Bribie Island is the smallest and most northerly of three major sand islands forming the coastline that shelters the northern part of Moreton Bay. The incident was reported through an ambulance bearer named Langworthy, as documented in the Brisbane Courier on December 30, 1919. The report noted that Brothy was treated following the attack, though specific details regarding his recovery were not extensively documented in the available records. This incident occurred during a period when shark attacks in Australian waters were being systematically documented, contributing to early records of human-shark interactions in the region.