Coogee Beach Regulars Rethink Swimming After Shark Attack

The Shark Attack at Coogee Beach

Under a clear blue sky on a Monday morning, Coogee beach in Sydney's east is quiet. A few swimmers have ventured into the ocean pools at the northern and southern ends of the beach. Most others sit on the sand, looking towards the water.

On Saturday morning, Coogee local, teacher and mother Leah Stewart was pulled from between the flags with life-threatening injuries after being attacked by a great white shark. Her family confirmed Stewart had undergone multiple surgeries – including an arm amputation.

Community Reaction and Fear

The beachside eastern suburbs community is reeling from trauma and disbelief. Locals and visitors say they are rethinking their use of the beach in the aftermath.

Alex 'Spango', a Clovelly and Coogee local who has surfed the area for more than 35 years, was at the beach on Saturday morning. He recalls the 'perfect' conditions at sunrise, pulling out his phone to show a picturesque photo of the water from his camera roll. Hours later, he was riding a bus to Chinatown when his partner called.

'It's like a horror movie,' he says, emerging from the surf at Coogee beach on Monday, after only wading up to his knees. 'The community is 100% saddened, stunned, surprised and just … haunted. Whatever the word is, it's got a sad feeling,' he says. 'The poor lady, she did everything right.'

Impact on Regular Swimmers

Samuel Mackenzie, a marine biology student who lives just up the road from Coogee beach, was driving on Saturday when he received a panicked call from a mate. 'My mate, he's a bay swimmer too, [he] was there when it [the shark attack] happened … he works at the Coogee Bay [hotel],' Mackenzie says. 'He thought that it could have been me … It's a funny feeling when people call you thinking you're dead.'

While Mackenzie usually surfs and free-dives out in the open ocean, on Monday he chose to swim in the Ross Jones memorial pool at the south end of the beach. 'I feel less comfortable being in the ocean … I don't want to scare my parents,' he says.

Regular Swimmers 'Terrified'

Towelling off from a dip at the southern rock pool, Ryan O'Sheehan mentions he doesn't frequently swim at Coogee and felt 'terrified' when he heard about the attack, prompting him to stick to the enclosed concrete pool.