Beware of Bunbury’s Sharks

Aerial patrols spotting sharks at our favourite Bunbury beaches brings some comfort to swimmers of the 2020s, but spare a thought for those going for a dip in our local waters in 1888. On March 6 of that year, The Southern Advertiser reported several sharks as being caught at the jetty (one reportedly nearly 8ft or 2.4m long) and advised bathers who did not 'patronise' the public baths on the estuary to ‘beware’. Later in the month (March 20) the newspaper recorded Messrs Austin, Costello and Hayes, while fishing in the Bay for schnapper, a shark took the bait and they succeeded in hauling him into the boat.The shark was 10ft (3m) long and was taken to Mr North’s residence in White Road, where they took about 12 bottles of oil from the liver.

Written by Christine Hunter for the Streets of Bunbury project.