business - 2026-05-20

Northern Beaches Council reviews shark closure rules for Shelly Beach as state boosts drone and education program

Source: www.manlycommunityforum.com

Northern Beaches Council is reviewing beach closure arrangements for shark sightings at Shelly Beach and is considering installing a shark alarm there, as the NSW Government rolls out a $2.5 million funding boost for its 2025/26 Shark Management Program.

Northern Beaches Council is reviewing beach closure arrangements for shark sightings at Shelly Beach and is considering installing a shark alarm there, as the NSW Government rolls out a $2.5 million funding boost for its 2025/26 Shark Management Program. The state program, funded through the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Fisheries, was described as the largest and most comprehensive initiative of its kind globally. The $2.5 million enhancement was announced on Sunday, 7 December 2025, and includes support for drone surveillance, community response kits and education. For Manly and Shelly beaches, closures and notifications to swimmers are managed by Council lifeguards from Manly Beach. Council lifeguards and Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) volunteers advise and encourage swimmers to leave the water as directed for personal safety reasons, and that advice should not be ignored. SLSNSW sets out how shark risks are handled in its ‘Public Safety Standard Operating Procedures’, including guidelines for recognising and managing shark incidents. The document uses the term ‘shark’ broadly, noting that not all sharks are dangerous, but says that in NSW coastal waters nearly all...