In one of the most shocking and tragic shark attacks ever recorded, a mother-of-four was killed and consumed by a massive great white shark while her horrified children looked on from the shore.
A Peaceful Day Turns to Tragedy
Shirley Ann Durdin, aged 33, was snorkelling for scallops in Peake Bay, South Australia, on 3 March 1985. The family had recently moved to the coast from the inland town of Karkoo due to her husband Barry's severe farm allergies. What began as a routine foraging trip descended into unimaginable horror in a matter of seconds.
Witnesses reported a sudden whirlpool of bubbles and blood as the enormous predator, estimated to be 20 feet (over 6 metres) long, pulled Shirley beneath the surface. The attack was so ferocious and powerful that she was savagely bitten in half by a single bite. Her headless torso was then devoured by the shark before it vanished into the deep.
Families Traumatised and a Community in Fear
The gruesome event unfolded a mere 150 yards from the shore, where Shirley's young children were helpless spectators. Her devastated husband, Barry, had to be physically restrained by onlookers to prevent him from diving into the bloodied water after his wife.
This case is exceptionally rare, as it is one of the few documented instances where a great white shark has not only killed but also eaten a human. The attack left the local community terrified, with many too frightened to enter the water and some calling for a shark cull. However, experts at the time warned that such culls could damage the marine ecosystem and were not a guaranteed method for improving safety.
A Legacy of Horror and Historical Context
In the aftermath, authorities searched for Shirley's remains but recovered only a single swim fin. Her death marked the first fatal shark attack in South Australian waters since 1974.
That earlier attack claimed the life of 26-year-old diver Terry Manuel. He was surfacing from a dive for sea snails off Cape Catastrophe when a 15-foot great white shark shot upwards with such force it launched him out of the water. Despite his companion's frantic efforts to free him from the shark's jaws, Terry lost a leg and succumbed to catastrophic blood loss.
The harrowing story of Shirley Ann Durdin has resurfaced on social media in recent years, with online commentators describing it as "absolutely horrific" and "the most horrific attack I've ever heard about." It remains a stark and chilling reminder of the raw power of nature and a tragedy that forever scarred a family.
