'Giant' shark lurking off east coast
The hunt is on for a giant shark, believed to be a Great White or White Pointer, lurking off the Queensland coast.
The Queensland government has advised swimmers to exercise caution after a 13mm thick, 36cm long shark hook was found almost completely straightened on Main Beach.
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"The force needed to straighten a hook of this size would be immense... A shark capable of doing this would likely be in excess of 5 metres in length", Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said in a statement.
Queensland Shark Control Chief Tony Ham says the danger does not just apply to Queenslanders.
"Based on the evidence we've got, we're having a little trouble stopping it", Mr Ham told Sunrise this morning, "By this time of the year we'd have expected to it to head south to cooler water, so an animal this size would probably be well south [of Queensland] by this time of year."
Mr Mulherin was quick to remind people that sharks are a natural part of the marine environment, when we enter the water we are entering their domain.
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Beachgoers are advised to stick to patrolled beaches, and avoid swimming after dusk, at night, or before dawn when sharks become more active.
