Australia’s most dangerous beaches for shark attacks
Beware when swimming at Byron, Ballina, Bondi and Bells.
Research shows there have been 42 unprovoked fatal shark attacks in Australia since 1990, and although most recorded attacks have occurred in New South Wales, the majority of fatalities transpired in Western Australia.
finder.com.au analysed data released by the Shark Research Institute's Global Shark Attack File, determining hotspot coastal locations around the country where 295 unprovoked shark attacks have occurred between 1990 and 2016.
122 attacks took place off the coast of NSW, more than double the 60 attacks recorded in Queensland.
While Western Australia experienced a similar number of attacks (59) as the sunshine state, there were almost three times more fatalities than NSW.
| State | Attacks | Fatal |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 122 | 6 |
| Queensland | 60 | 7 |
| Western Australia | 59 | 17 |
| South Australia | 31 | 10 |
| Victoria | 16 | 0 |
| Tasmania | 5 | 2 |
| Northern Territory | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 295 | 42 |
17 people have been killed by sharks off the Western Australian coast, 10 in South Australia, 7 in Queensland, 6 in NSW and 2 in Tasmania.
This means Western Australia accounts for 40% of the country's total shark-related fatalities.
Breaking it down by beaches, NSW's Byron Bay has recorded the greatest number of attacks (12) and fatalities (2) since 1990.
A little further south, Ballina incurred six attacks and one fatality, while divers and swimmers in Sydney Harbour have suffered five attacks, four attacks have taken place in Newcastle and rounding out the top five was Perth's Cottesloe Beach, which has seen four attacks and two fatalities in the last 26 years.
Top 13 Australian locations for unprovoked shark attacks since 1990
| Rank | Location | State | Attacks | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Byron Bay | NSW | 12 | 2 |
| 2 | Ballina | NSW | 6 | 1 |
| 3 | Sydney Harbour | NSW | 5 | 0 |
| 4 | Newcastle | NSW | 4 | 0 |
| 5 | Cottesloe Beach | WA | 4 | 2 |
| 6 | Bondi Beach | NSW | 3 | 0 |
| 7 | Seal Rocks | NSW | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | Bells Beach | VIC | 3 | 0 |
| 9 | Fingal Bay | NSW | 3 | 0 |
| 10 | Shelly Beach (Central Coast) | NSW | 3 | 1 |
| 11 | Lennox Head | NSW | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | Mona Vale | NSW | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | Middleton Beach | SA | 3 | 0 |
Following the most recent shark attack on NSW's north coast, state Premier Mike Baird announced plans for a six month trial of shark nets in the area, despite nationwide protests and debates regarding controversial netting programs in Western Australia just a few years ago.
According to the International Museum of Wildlife, the odds of being killed by a shark are 1 in 3.75 million. You're far likely to die as a result of a public transport accident (1 in 16,831) or lightning strike (1 in 71,601).
Planning to surf or swim on your travels? Find travel insurance that covers both you and your board, shark deterrents that actually work and vehicle excess insurance to get you to and from the coast.
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