Police have confirmed a 23-year-old Port Macquarie man has been attacked by "quite a large shark" while surfing at North Shore Beach and has suffered "significant injuries to his right leg".
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Mid North Coast Police District Chief Inspector Stuart Campbell said a passerby came to the surfer's aid and applied a makeshift tourniquet until emergency services arrived.
"At this stage, investigations appear that he was surfing alone," he said.
Insp Campbell described the scene as traumatic and said that police are working with the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to locate the shark and identify its type. He said the man's family has been informed.
He was transported to Port Macquarie Base Hospital for further treatment.
In response to the shark attack, North Shore Beach has been closed, and police are currently on-site.
Port Macquarie lifeguards said in a social media post that they attended the scene where members of the public and a fellow surfer "were rendering assistance by using makeshift tourniquets".
They confirmed that the beaches between North Shore and Lighthouse Beach (Tacking Point) will remain closed for at least 24 hours.
North Shore Beach is on the northern side of the Hastings River and is accessed by a vehicular ferry.
In April, the Port Macquarie Hastings Council unanimously passed a motion to explore the introduction of an Emergency Signage Coding System after a campaign by local shark attack survivor Toby Begg.
Upon receiving feedback, the council will request the state government consider a state-wide Emergency Response Signage Coding System similar to what has been implemented in Western Australia and Victoria.
Ruby Pascoe
Mardi Borg
Emily Walker
Reporter at Macleay Argus and Port Macquarie News.
Reporter at Macleay Argus and Port Macquarie News.
