A stretch of Western Australia's coastline, including popular city beaches in Perth, has been closed until at least Sunday following a fatal shark attack. A male swimmer died after being attacked at Sorrento Beach, roughly 20 km north of Perth's city centre, on Friday. Authorities responded by closing beaches along 17 km of coastline.
The state government said beaches in Perth's Joondalup area — which takes in Sorrento — would stay shut until at least noon on Sunday. Rangers from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development have been carrying out land-based patrols along the closed coast while the alert remains in place.
The incident is not an isolated one. Only days earlier, on the Monday of the same week, a surfer was bitten near Geraldton, about 400 km north of Perth, losing a foot and suffering serious leg injuries. Further back, the state has recorded two other fatal attacks this year: a 35-year-old man killed while spearfishing off the south coast in June, and a 38-year-old man who died in an attack off an island near Perth in May.
For travellers, the practical takeaway is simple: Western Australia's beaches are superb but the state does close them after shark sightings or incidents, sometimes at short notice. Surf Life Saving WA posts real-time shark alerts, and local council and government channels list beach closures. Swimming between the flags at patrolled beaches, avoiding dawn and dusk swims, and staying away from areas where anglers or seals are active all reduce risk. If you're heading to Perth's northern beaches — Sorrento, Scarborough and the Joondalup coastline — check the current status before you go, as closures can extend over tens of kilometres after an incident like this one.