community - 2026-10-12

Northern Beaches surf and dive operators seek help after shark fears drive steep losses

Source: manlyobserver.com.au

Northern Beaches aquatic businesses are seeking help from government after shark fears, reduced tourist numbers and repeated beach closures caused heavy financial losses. Operators support expanded drone surveillance but say the detections and shutdowns it generates are compounding the pressure on businesses that depend on reliable access to the water. Manly Surf School owner Matt Grainger said revenue had fallen 30 per cent since a string of shark attacks in January 2026. The business has operated for more than 30 years and runs lessons at several beaches between Manly and Palm Beach, serving tourists as well as local surfers. Grainger said January, normally the school's busiest month, was effectively lost. The business struggled through winter and had to part with some staff and sell several vehicles. Grainger said he also had to consider the livelihoods of about 20 full-time employees, including people who had worked with him for more than two decades. Dee Why Salty Surf School owner Dan O'Connell reported a similarly sharp fall. His winter school holiday camp attracted seven children, down from 40 the previous year. Where the business had previously supported O'Connell and a...