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Shark sighting forces Mullaloo beach in Perth’s north to evacuate

Michael TraillThe West Australian
Authorities have received a flurry of reports of great white sharks stalking WA’s coastline.
Camera IconAuthorities have received a flurry of reports of great white sharks stalking WA’s coastline.

A shark spotted lurking just metres from Mullaloo’s shoreline has forced the beach in Perth’s north to evacuate.

Surf live savers closed the popular beach just before 3pm this afternoon after a Westpac Live Saver Rescue helicopter spotted the 2m beast circling only 10m offshore.

The sighting comes after authorities were yesterday forced into action after receiving a flurry of reports of great white sharks stalking WA’s coastline.

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Surf Life Saving WA closed Meelup Beach in the State’s South West for hours on Wednesday after a tagged great white triggered beacons 16 times over 24 hours.

Great white shark spotted off Meelup Beach, Dunsborough.
Camera IconGreat white shark spotted off Meelup Beach, Dunsborough. Credit: 7NEWS/7NEWS

Authorities in Esperance deployed three drumlines in an attempt to catch a 5m great white, spotted only 50m offshore.

The enormous predator was seen off Dempster Head about 11am and sparked panic along Esperance Bay where a small school group were on a day trip, with rangers quickly ushering them out of the water.

Drumlines were withdrawn at 4pm due to poor weather — with only a 2.6m bronze whaler caught.

Warning people of the shark in a dedicated online forum, Ocean Safety and Support Group chairman Mitchell Capelli questioned: “Why is this our new normal?”

“Never have we seen this much activity along our coastline,” he said.

Near Rottnest, three sharks approached a Perth family’s boat off Catherine Bay, looking for bait near craypots.

Great white sharks spotted off Catherine Bay, Rottnest Island.
Camera IconGreat white sharks spotted off Catherine Bay, Rottnest Island. Credit: 7NEWS/7NEWS

The people on-board estimate the three sharks were all between three and four metres.

Only two others have been tagged to rival its size.

One was another female measuring 5.4m, tagged in Albany in 2014, which locals call “Bronwyn”.

The other was tagged near near Esperance’s Alexander Point three weeks ago, which also measured 5.4m.

Surf Life Savers in Cockburn Sound yesterday morning spotted a great white, believed to be 3m long.

That report came in at about 9am, just north of Rockingham.

Today’s latest beach closure comes less than a week after a 5.3m predator was tagged off Cottesloe on Friday.

Vision captured of the 5.3m female, which came within 200m of the shore, made waves across the country after it was spotted several times, then snagged by a drumline and eventually tagged.

The 5m great white shark tagged off Cottesloe.
Camera IconThe 5m great white shark tagged off Cottesloe. Credit: 7NEWS/supplied

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