Shark attack statistics: Australia’s most dangerous beaches for shark attacks

Shark attack statistics put Australia second in the world for the most number of unprovoked attacks, with New South Wales the most dangerous state in the country.

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Jessica Prasida

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Shark attack statistics show that there have been more than 622 unprovoked shark attacks in Australia since 1988. While most recorded attacks have occurred in New South Wales, the majority of fatalities transpired in Western Australia.

Finder analysed data released by the Shark Research Institute's Global Shark Attack File, determining hotspot coastal locations around the country where hundreds of unprovoked shark attacks have occurred between 1988 and 2024.

214 attacks took place off the coast of NSW, almost double the 134 attacks recorded in Queensland, which came in second.

Shark attack prevalence by Australian state over a 25-year period from 1988

StateAttacks
New South Wales214
Western Australia154
Queensland134
South Australia50
Victoria41
Tasmania13
Northern Territory12
Torres Strait3
Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands1
Total622

Source: finder.com.au, www.sharkattackfile.net *Not all shark incidents are recorded by state, and some are unaccounted for due to ocean locations.

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Jessica Prasida is a travel insurance expert for Finder. She lives and breathes travel, having worked as a travel agent and branch manager at STA Travel for over 4 years, then writing about travel insurance with Finder for another 5 years. Jess has a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney and a Tier 1 General Insurance qualification. See full bio

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