A chilling warning from a shark specialist came just days before a 12-year-old boy was savagely attacked by a suspected bull shark in Sydney Harbour. The expert had declared conditions 'incredibly dangerous' and predicted an increasing likelihood of such an incident.
The Attack at Nielsen Park
The young victim was swimming with five friends near Nielsen Park in Sydney's eastern suburbs at approximately 4.20pm on Sunday. Police believe he was in the water after jumping from a popular six-metre-high rock ledge known locally as Jump Rock, an area not protected by shark nets, when the attack occurred.
The boy suffered severe injuries to both legs and remained in intensive care on Monday morning. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community and reignited debates about shark safety in popular harbour swimming spots.
Expert's Stark Prediction and 'Perfect Conditions'
Joel Nancarrow, owner of Hunter Shark Jaw Restoration, had issued a public alert prior to the attack. He stated that heavy rain, murky water, and significant river run-off had created what he described as 'perfect conditions' for sharks to move into crowded swimming areas.
'We posted weeks ago that a child would be bitten this year, and yesterday we said this week is incredibly dangerous to be in the water,' Mr Nancarrow revealed. 'People who follow us know the dangers. Those that don't are probably none the wiser.'
He explained that muddy, low-visibility water pushes large predators out of river systems and into harbour beaches in search of food. 'Bull sharks are present in 'massive numbers' throughout Sydney Harbour,' Nancarrow said, driven closer to shore by recent rainfall. 'A 12-year-old child is a snack for something like these.'
A Pattern of Predictable Risk and Recent Tragedies
Mr Nancarrow argued that such attacks are becoming more foreseeable, especially during periods of heavy rain combined with warm water and crowded beaches. 'We can almost predict these incidents now. If we can do this, why can't the science put stronger warnings out there?' he questioned.
He rejected calls for a shark cull as a solution, stating that adult bull sharks were 'too smart' to be caught on government drumlines. 'The ship has sailed for a quick fix,' he said. 'It's all about awareness now.'
This latest mauling adds to a series of chilling incidents in New South Wales waters in recent years. In early 2024, a young woman was bitten at Elizabeth Bay. The fatal attack on British expat Simon Nellist by a great white at Little Bay in February 2022 was Sydney's first fatal shark attack in sixty years.
More recently, veteran surfer Mercury Psillakis, 57, died after a great white attack at Long Reef Beach in September 2025. Two months later, Swiss tourist Olivia Mulheim was fatally mauled by a bull shark at Kylies Beach.
According to the Australian Shark Incident Database, Australia has recorded 312 fatal shark attacks since 1791, with 59 deaths since the year 2000. Almost half of those fatalities have occurred since 2020, indicating a concerning trend.
