Sydney shuts beaches after fresh shark attack

Police say all beaches in Northern Beaches will remain closed until further notice

AFP

January 20, 2026

A lifeguards places a sign at Manly Beach, after a man was attacked by a shark in the afternoon, the second attack in Sydneys northern beaches on the day and the third attack in 24 hours in Australia on Jan 19, 2026. — Reuters — A lifeguards places a sign at Manly Beach, after a man was attacked by a shark in the afternoon, the second attack in Sydney's northern beaches on the day and the third attack in 24 hours in Australia on Jan 19, 2026. — Reuters

SYDNEY: Beaches in the north of Sydney remained closed on Tuesday after a shark bit a man in his 20s, the city’s third shark attack in two days.

Emergency services were called to a beach in Manly in the north of the city on Monday evening following reports a surfer had been bitten by a shark, New South Wales police said in a statement.

He was treated for serious leg injuries and taken to hospital in a critical condition.

All beaches in the Northern Beaches, a council area straddling the city’s northern coastline, will remain closed until further notice, police said.

Earlier on Monday, a 10-year-old boy escaped unharmed after a shark knocked him into the water, biting a chunk out of his surfboard.

On Sunday, a boy was left in a critical condition after being bitten by a shark at a city beach.

The attacks follow days of heavy rain that ran off into the harbour and beaches around the city, creating ideal conditions for the bull sharks suspected to be behind some of the attacks. The species thrives in brackish water.

Australia sees around 20 shark attacks per year, with just under three of those being fatalities, according to data from conservation groups. Those numbers are dwarfed by drownings on the country’s beaches.