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The Port Macquarie community is rallying to support local man Toby Begg, who remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital after he was bitten by a shark at a popular NSW Mid North Coast surfing spot.
Key points:
- Toby Begg has been flown to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle
- Police say the shark that attacked Mr Begg was between 3.8 and 4.2 metres long
- A Mid North Coast shark attack survivor says the event is triggering for many
The 44-year-old suffered injuries to both legs when he was attacked by a great white shark at Watonga Rocks, south of Tacking Point, Port Macquarie, on Friday morning.
Mr Begg underwent surgery at Port Macquarie Base Hospital and then was flown to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.
Police said the shark that attacked Mr Begg was between 3.8 and 4.2 metres long and that the attack was "sustained and prolonged".
Messages of well wishes for Mr Begg have flooded social media.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with former Port Macquarie on-call firefighter Toby Begg and his family," a post on the Port Macquarie Fire and Rescue Station Facebook page read.
"A fund has been established to help Toby and his family in this terrible time.
"Anyone able to assist, any and all support would be greatly appreciated."
Mr Begg's brother-in-law Chris Lenihan and the registered charity Port Macquarie-Hastings Community Help Inc have set up fundraisers.
"It is very early stages and the full extent of his injuries are being uncovered," Mr Lenihan wrote on a GoFundMe page.
"However, he will require many surgeries and has years of rehabilitation ahead of him."
Survivors support
Shark attack survivor Dave Pearson said it was devastating news for the region.
"I'm feeling sombre today," he said.
"Toby is laying in hospital at the moment with an unknown outcome, and his poor wife and family, you know, are trying to come to terms with the new life that they're going to be faced with."
The Coopernook resident created Bite Club in 2011, a support group for shark attack victims and their families, after he was attacked at Crowdy Head.
He said the news of the shark attack was triggering for many survivors.
"It brings back your own day, the events that you went through. It just all becomes fresh in your mind again," Mr Pearson said.
"We have members in Port Macquarie who have been attacked, so there has been a lot of phone calls made to make sure they're doing OK after hearing of this event."
Mr Pearson said he had reached out to the Begg family if they wanted support.
"We'll be there if they want to talk to us," he said.
"[It's important] they have trusted family around them at this time to support them … and that they stay away from things like social media as there's always comments they don't need to see."
Beaches closed
Lighthouse Beach and beaches in the area will remain closed until further notice.
While shark nets are not used in the Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area, 15 smart drum lines are in place that allow sharks to be tagged and released.
There is also a listening station in the area, which triggers an alert to the NSW government's Shark Smart app when a tagged shark swims past.
The Australian Lifeguard Service has installed signs nearby warning people against swimming.