Local History
Gibson, 39, was taken by “one of the monsters that cruise off Bondi”, on February 8.
A year earlier saw a happier outcome. Max Steele, 19, a Bondi lifesaver, was chasing big waves on the afternoon of April 14, 1928. It was dull and cloudy and a large sea was running when the shark grabbed him by the leg, pulling him several metres under water. “The first thing I knew of the attack was when I saw blood in the swirling water,” the victim later recalled.
He courageously fought and punched the shark until it released him. The shark had stripped the flesh from his leg but he managed to swim 200 metres back to the shore where he collapsed. Bondi lifesavers Tom
Shark Attacks In The East A Thing Of The Past “S
hark!” No other cry fright- ens beachgoers more. The very word stirs emotions and con- jures up primeval fears of unseen horrors. They are undoubtedly every sea-goers worst nightmare, but here in the Eastern Suburbs, attacks are not near as frequent as they were in days gone by. In the twilight hours of Wednes- day, February 13, 1924, one such attack took place at Bronte Beach. “A piercing scream and the woman disappeared beneath the thrashing water. She then seemed suddenly to rush out to a distance of several yards as if the shark had taken her legs from under her and pulled her out,” the newspapers read.
Miss Nita Derritt, a 30-year- old saleswoman from Hurlstone Park was “badly mutilated by a 10 foot monster in five to six feet
76 • the Beast
of water”. Bronte lifesavers, Eric Bennett and Jas Brown, together with Constable C.E. Rushbrooke, ran bravely into the water and brought her to shore.
“The left leg had been taken off from below the knee and the right foot was torn away from the ankle, hanging only by a thread.” Miss Derrett miraculously survived but had both legs am- putated.
Since the advent of shark meshing off Sydney’s beaches no death has occurred from shark attack since 1937, but prior to this sharks were a real worry. In fact, Bondi played host to two fatal attacks within a month of each other in 1929.
Colin Stewart, 14, died after being savaged on January 12 in waist deep water on a sandbar 40 yards off the beach and John
Meagher and Allen Rennix, with beach inspector, Stan McDonald, helped pull him onto the beach. Taken to hospital, Max Steele had his leg amputated, but eight days later he was able to sit in his father’s car and watch a surf carnival. Steele indeed! These days, most local shark attacks are minor or, as was the case in Bondi late last year, the stuff of fiction. Still, if the bite marks in Icarus Lima’s (of Six Ounce Board Store) stick last month are anything to go by, there are still plenty of bastard sharks out there!
To learn more about the history of the Eastern Beaches area you can contact Waverley Council Local Studies Librarian Kimberly O’Sullivan Steward on 9386 7744 or send her an email at kimber-
lyo@waverley.nsw.gov.au.
www.thebeast.com.au
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100