Newcastle’s beaches have been closed for a seventh straight day, following the sighting of great white sharks close to shore.
The spotting of a great white shark on 10 January first triggered the closure the Australian city’s beaches. On 15 January several massive sharks were seen feeding on dolphins off Merewether and Burwood beaches.
Newcastle City Council confirmed that sharks have been sighted across all beaches from Stockton to Merewether. At least three dolphin carcasses with injuries from shark bites washed ashore over the past seven days, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
One of the sharks spotted is a five-metre great white, weighing up to 1,700kgs.
The council wants at least 24 hours of no shark sightings before they reopen the beaches. They tweeted on Friday to say that all Newcastle beaches will be closed for the weekend.
Currently, beaches from Stockton to Redhead remain closed. Blacksmiths, Caves and Catherine Hill Bay beaches are still open.
Also see: Australia has most fatal shark attacks in the world
Newcastle sharks on Twitter
To add humour to the situation, under the Twitter name @Newy_Shark, someone has been tweeting as one of the sharks:
As a thank you to all my supporters, I’ll be taking up to 50% off at Newcastle beaches, this weekend only. #youchoosewhich50
— Newy Shark (@Newy_Shark) January 15, 2015
Hey @nbnnews thanks for the shout out. Just need an update on surf conditions for tomorrow. #offshoreandaripplease
— Newy Shark (@Newy_Shark) January 15, 2015
You know what saddened me most this week? The lack of wifi off the coast. These data charges will be the end of me. #telcosaretherealsharks
— Newy Shark (@Newy_Shark) January 16, 2015
Beaches have been closed in #Newcastle for 5 days now due to 5m shark . The shark now has a Twitter account @Newy_Shark . Love this city
— Craig Hamilton (@Hammo46) January 15, 2015
TOP IMAGE: A shark warning sign is seen posted on the beach in the northern New South Wales city of Newcastle on January 17, 2015. Australian surfers and swimmers defied beach closures on the country’s east coast on January 17, taking to the water despite repeated shark sightings over the past week and a recent attack on a teenage spearfisher. (Photo credit should read PETER PARKS/AFP/Getty Images)
