The sharks of Bushrangers Bay have returned as mysteriously as they disappeared! Phebe Fidge reports
Beneath the swirling waters of Bushrangers Bay, rich kelp reefs bustle with fish and urchins. Purple sea squirts protrude like alien fingers from the rocky terrain among colourful sponges, cast into shadow by passing grey nurse sharks. The sharks are a huge eco-tourism drawcard, with snorkellers and scuba divers travelling to Bass Point for a glimpse of the endangered east coast population.
Diver Max Dall’Asta has lived in Shellharbour for more than 28 years, and still feels the thrill of swimming with these ocean beauties.
“In terms of looks, they’re badass, but when you dive with them, you know they don’t bite!”
As a result, he was one of the first to notice their mysterious disappearance in December last year.
“They left about 20th December, and that was it. They were gone!”
This isn’t the first time. Max remembers that the grey nurse sharks left once before in 1997.
“That was for many, many years. They even took down the [shark] signs! The sharks have only come back in the last 10 years, and then all the signs were put up again.”
Max has been part of a citizen science program called “Spot A Shark” (SAS) long enough for a shark to be named after him! The program asks shark enthusiasts to upload photos/videos of east coast grey nurse sharks to identify individuals and monitor their population.
Local divers worked with SAS to set up cameras on local boats, even deploying an underwater drone, to see if they could spot any sharks lurking in Shell Cove marina. However, the only local shark spotted over the Christmas period was sighted by Sarah Han-de-Beaux, SAS coordinator and shark researcher, in Jervis Bay!
“Grey nurse sharks (Carcharias taurus) have a complex migratory pattern along the Australian coast and utilise multiple aggregation sites,” Sarah says. “The sharks move between sites seasonally and sometimes abandon sites for periods of time.
“Observations by the diving community at Bushrangers Bay showed consistent sightings until 20 December 2024, followed by a temporary absence until 10 January 2025. We cannot fully interpret the reason for their short-term absence. Speculated causes, such as the presence of larger sharks, human disturbance, or changes in ocean conditions, require further investigation.”
Whatever the reason for the sharks’ absence, Shellharbour residents are grateful for their return. This celebratory response represents a positive shift in the public perception of sharks.
“In the 1960s/70s these sharks were targeted for culling. Flash-forward to the present day, where a brief 20-day absence triggers widespread concern. This progress gives hope for the future of these vulnerable animals.”
However, there is more to be done to conserve grey nurse sharks on the east coast, and this starts with increasing their protection.
Max is passionate about this, saying: “Bushrangers Bay, which is the area that’s protected; it’s a swimming pool! It protects nothing. If you want to protect them, you want to protect at least 1km around that.”
Sarah adds, “The value of grey nurse shark tourism, demonstrated clearly at sites like Bushrangers Bay, combined with the passion of our diving community, creates the movement needed for increasing their protection.
“We encourage divers to continue documenting their encounters and, importantly, to engage with all levels of government, expressing their support for stronger conservation measures.”
Visit www.spotashark.com
