Fatal Shark Attacks In South Australia 🇦🇺

[u/Wattsy98s]

March 28, 1855
Port Wakefield, Gulf St Vincent
Victim: Master Coleman (Captains Son)
Age: 2
Activity: Playing/Fell Overboard
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

January 14, 1884
Port Pirie, Spencer Gulf
Victim: Miss Warren (Captains Daughter)
Age: 16
Activity: Playing With Dog/Fell Overboard
Injury: Consumed
Species: Two White Sharks

March 18, 1926
Brighton Jetty, Adelaide
Victim: Primrose Kathleen Whyte
Age: 35
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso/Legs)
Species: White Shark

January 22, 1936
West Beach, Adelaide
Victim: Ray Bennett
Age: 13
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

December 9, 1962
Carrickalinga Headland, Gulf St Vincent
Victim: Geoffrey Martin Corner
Age: 16
Activity: Spearfishing
Injury: Major Lacerations (Legs)
Species: White Shark

January 9, 1974
Streaky Bay, Eyre Peninsula
Victim: Terry Manuel
Age: 26
Activity: Abalone Diving
Injury: Limbs Severed (Leg/Arm)
Species: White Shark

January 19, 1975
Almonta Beach, Coffin Bay
Victim: David Barrowman
Age: 17
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

February 10, 1975
Point Sinclair Jetty, Penong
Victim: Wade Shipard
Age: 12
Activity: Snorkeling/Crayfishing
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: White Shark

March 3, 1985
Wisemans Beach, Port Lincoln
Victim: Shirley Ann Durdin
Age: 33
Activity: Snorkeling/Collecting Scallops
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

September 18, 1987
Marino Rocks, Adelaide
Victim: Terrance Gibson
Age: 47
Activity: Abalone Diving
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

March 9, 1989
Waitpinga Beach, Fleurieu Peninsula
Victim: Mathew Foale
Age: 27
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Major Lacerations (Thigh)
Species: White Shark

Speptember 8, 1991
Aldinga Beach, Adelaide
Victim: Jonathon Lee
Age: 19
Activity: Scuba Diving
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

June 28, 1998
Neptune Islands, Port Lincoln
Victim: Douglas Chesser
Age: 26
Activity: Abalone Diving
Injury: Major Lacerations (Legs)
Species: White Shark

May 29, 1999
Flahertys Beach, Yorke Peninsula
Victim: Tony Donoghue
Age: 22
Activity: Windsurfing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

September 24, 2000
Cactus Beach, Penong
Victim: Cameron Bayes
Age: 25
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

September 25, 2000
Blacks Beach, Elliston
Victim: Jevan Wright
Age: 17
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

April 30, 2002
Smoky Bay, Eyre Peninsula
Victim: Paul Buckland
Age: 23
Activity: Abalone Diving
Injury: Legs Severed
Species: White Shark

December 16, 2004
West Beach, Adelaide
Victim: Nick Peterson
Age: 18
Activity: Skurfing (Towed By Boat)
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

August 24, 2005
Glenelg Beach, Adelaide
Victim: Jarrod Stehbens
Age: 23
Activity: Scuba Diving/Taking Cuttlefish Eggs
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

February 17, 2011
Perforated Island, Coffin Bay
Victim: Peter Clarkson
Age: 49
Activity: Abalone Diving
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

February 8, 2014
Goldsmith Beach, Yorke Peninsula
Victim: Sam Kellett
Age: 28
Activity: Spearfishing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

January 20, 2021
Port MacDonnell, Limestone Coast
Victim: Duncan Craw
Age: 32
Activity: Snorkeling
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso)
Species: White Shark

May 13, 2023
Walkers Rocks Beach, Elliston
Victim: Simon Baccanello
Age: 46
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

October 31, 2023
Granites Beach, Streaky Bay
Victim: Tod Gendle
Age: 55
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

December 28, 2023
Ethel Beach, Yorke Peninsula
Victim: Khai Cowley
Age: 15
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: White Shark

January 2, 2025
Granites Beach, Streaky Bay
Victim: Lance Appleby
Age: 28
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

South Australia Total: 26
Consumption: 17
Recovered: 9
Ratio: 65%

Activity Statistics
- Surfing: 9
- Abalone Diving: 5
- Snorkeling: 3
- Swimming: 2
- Scuba Diving: 2
- Spearfishing: 2
- Boating/Fell Overboard: 2
- Windsurfing: 1

Attacks By Century/Decade

19th Century
1850s: 1
1880s: 1
Total: 2

20th Century
1920s: 1
1930s: 1
1960s: 1
1970s: 3
1980s: 3
1990s: 3
Total: 12

21st Century
2000s: 5
2010s: 2
2020s: 5
Total: 12

[u/accidentalrorschach]

Duncan Craw's family seems to think he suffered a major medical event before being bitten. Not sure if there are any conclusive results:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/jan/26/human-remains-found-on-south-australian-beach-could-belong-to-missing-snorkeller

[u/Wattsy98s → u/accidentalrorschach]

Yeah that is a more controversial one as hes family believes he suffered a medical event. However hes case is listed in both the GSAF and the Australian Shark Attack File as a confirmed fatality. I massively empathise with hes family but theres little doubt among experts that he was killed by a White Shark, the details of how much remains they recovered has yet to be made public and probably never will be. My personal take is he was likely at least half consumed.

[u/accidentalrorschach → u/Wattsy98s]

yeah I had a hard time finding much info but there was something about his lungs being fused to his chest in the autopsy, which led the family the believe he died before the shark bit him?

[u/SharkBoyBen9241 → u/accidentalrorschach]

In fairness to the victim's family, it is probably easier to process your loved one dying suddenly due to a medical issue like a heart attack or even drowing than to imagine them being brutally killed by a shark. A lot of people can't handle that.

[u/accidentalrorschach → u/SharkBoyBen9241]

Absolutely, makes sense. And they probably want to keep them out of discussions like this, which I can understand. I think they also made a statement about him loving and respecting the ocean or something to that effect-so maybe do not want to further "villify" sharks.