Shark sighting near Bulli Beach in June 2020 prompted warnings after multiple Illawarra encounters

What happened off Bulli

A shark came within metres of two teenage spearfishers near the Bulli rock pools on Sunday, 14 June 2020, triggering a rapid retreat to shore and renewed safety warnings for beach users along the Illawarra coastline.

The teenagers, aged 16 and 13, were in the water when the shark approached at close range. Video recorded during the incident captured the animal tracking nearby as the pair moved toward shallower water. No injury was reported.

Part of a cluster of sightings over 12 hours

The Bulli encounter occurred during a short run of shark activity along nearby beaches. Within the same 12-hour period, separate sightings led surfers to leave the water at beaches including Thirroul and Austinmer. Reports from lifesaving personnel at the time linked the increased nearshore activity to large schools of baitfish moving along the coast, which can draw sharks closer to swimming and surfing areas.

In the days around the sightings, authorities also recorded repeated detections of a tagged white shark in the broader South Coast region. Officials noted that shark movements are influenced by a combination of environmental conditions, migration patterns, sea temperature and food availability, and that detections do not necessarily equate to aggressive behaviour or an imminent threat.

Species identification and why spearfishing matters

Marine researchers assessing the Bulli footage described the shark as likely a bronze whaler. That species is commonly encountered in Australian coastal waters and is not generally regarded as a high-risk species for people when compared with white, tiger and bull sharks.

However, experts also emphasised that activities involving speared fish can increase attention from marine predators. Spearfishing can introduce noise, vibration and potential scent cues, increasing the likelihood that a curious shark will investigate at close range.

Local context: recent Illawarra incidents and safety response

While the Bulli incident was a near-miss rather than an attack, it occurred in a region with a history of serious shark bites. Earlier in 2020, a man was injured at Windang after a shark bite to the foot. Previous years also included severe incidents further south along the same coastal corridor, reinforcing the importance of rapid first aid, clear beach warnings and coordinated emergency response.

• Leave the water immediately if a shark is sighted nearby.
• Avoid murky water, river mouths, and areas with concentrated baitfish or heavy bird activity.
• Take extra caution at dawn and dusk, when visibility is reduced and predator activity can increase.

Shark sightings along the Illawarra coastline in June 2020 reflected heightened marine activity close to shore, rather than a single isolated event.

Beach safety agencies continued to urge vigilance during periods of elevated marine activity, stressing that shark presence is a normal feature of the local marine environment and that timely decisions by swimmers and surfers remain a critical risk-reduction measure.