WynRichards
Tourist
Reged: 08/20/06
Posts: 83
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UPDATE: FEBRUARY 2007
Two recent attacks in NSW have been added to the collection (well after all, it is summer in Australia). The Cape Howe attack on January 23 was a particularly remarkable tale of survival (and a lot of luck).
Also, thankyou to GE member mephisto41 for his insights into the two attacks off Stradbroke Island, particulary in regards to the location of the incidents. I've modified these placemarks accordingly. Cheers mephisto41!
Shark attacks in Australian waters by state. All officially recorded and unprovoked attacks from 1761 to 2007. Placemark information and guidance from the Global Shark Attack File at www.sharkattackfile.net/spreadsheets/GSAF5.xls. More recent attack information from online media reports.
All research was done from the little available on the internet, so in most cases I have had to give my best “guesstimate” to the approximate location of the incident, where more detailed information was not available. Corrections and feedback welcome.
I have excluded many recorded shark encounters including near misses, attacks on boats, sharks in aquaria, fishing mishaps, and incidents resulting in superficial injury. The red/blue icon represents fatal attacks, the blue/blue attacks resulting in injury. The three main species responsible for most attacks on humans in Australia are the…
(Great) White Shark (Carcharodon Carcharius)
Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas)
Because many more shark attacks have gone unreported, one shouldn’t draw too many conclusions from this collection. Shark encounters are roughly proportional to the number of people in the water, hence the great many recorded incidents around the major cities and towns. Currently, shark attack numbers are historically low due to netting programs, shark aerial patrols and perhaps a decline in shark populations.
But I still wouldn’t like to fall in the water at Sirius Cove…
Edited by WynRichards (02/14/07 04:55 AM)
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Noisette
Master Guide
Reged: 01/14/06
Posts: 5975
Loc: Belgium
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Interesting post Wyn, great research, I love the icons too  Are you from Australia? Have you had any "close contact" yourself? 
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heamit
Master Cartographer
Reged: 10/26/06
Posts: 2333
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I second Noisette and give this 5 stars. Fascinating post! 
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WynRichards
Tourist
Reged: 08/20/06
Posts: 83
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Thanks Noisette. It took a long time so it's nice to hear people are appreciating it.
I spent most of my childhood summers on the beaches of Sydney and I've always been fascinated by sharks. I've never seen a dangerous one in the wild, but I did once have to cling to a buoy for 4 hours after a boating accident near Newcastle, and the next day the local fisherman caught a 6 metre Great White in the same stretch of water!! It sure gave me the Heebie Jeebies!!
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antbytes
Tourist
Reged: 05/25/06
Posts: 6
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You should 'gearth' your bouy experience !
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abby2
Tourist
Reged: 03/24/06
Posts: 10
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Fascinating & a great post!
However I think I'll go swimming in a pool from now on!
Edited by abby2 (01/11/07 07:10 PM)
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WynRichards
Tourist
Reged: 08/20/06
Posts: 83
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 Good Idea antbytes! I think I will  )
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conspiracytheory
Tourist
Reged: 04/10/06
Posts: 14
Loc: Queensland, Aus
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Brilliant Post! I live in Noosa and until now felt safe in the shallows picking my surf board out of the water!
Hells teeth!
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Irisphar
Tourist
Reged: 01/16/07
Posts: 3
Loc: Orange, NSW, Australia
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Hi Wyn.... Well done on the effort you have put into research and detail on this post.... I was totally blown away by it.... I am new to Google Earth and the community posts and if yours is an example of the work people are putting in when posting then I look forward to a lot of long hours on here....
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WynRichards
Tourist
Reged: 08/20/06
Posts: 83
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Thanks Irisphar. Welcome to GE. Hope you have many happy hours scouring every nook and cranny of the globe!
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