Surfer Attacked By Shark At Booti Point, South Of Forster

A surfer has been attacked while surfing the southern end of Seven Mile Beach, Booti point, south of Forster this morning, Thursday, December 1.

The 65-year-old man suffered injuries to his arm and foot while his board was snapped in half and had a large chunk ripped from it in the attack. He was flown to John Hunter hospital in a stable condition.

With a Great White breeding ground at nearby Tea Gardens, the region surrounding Forster has long been a well-known haunt for juvenile Great Whites. In the last three months, two people from Stab‘s Australian HQ alone have been forced to flee to shore after spotting large whites in the water in that area.

Taj Burrow is currently on a Stab trip in the area and had been surfing the very spot the attack occurred in the days leading up to it.

“We’ve had a few fun days surfing a few beaches up here, mainly at the one where we heard there was an attack this morning,” he says. “Today is the day we didn’t go there so it’s a pretty spooky feeling. I hope old mate is alright.”

Taj described the conditions leading up to the attack as “eerie” and believed it was most likely to have been a Great White, considering the extent of the damage:

“It’s been pretty eerie up here. Some of the beaches haven’t had the clearest water like it’s famous for up here. It’s been a bit murky, there’s been a bit of algae in the water.”

Taj and the surfers he’s travelling with will not be surfing the spot again.

“We’ve done what we came here to do. It’s been a great couple of days but it’s such a bummer to leave on such a dampener,” he says.

Stab wishes a speedy recovery to the gent who was attacked. Stay safe out there.