Shark Data LabShark Attack on Surfer at Manly, Sydney, 19 January 2026
Synthesised by sharkdatalab from 4 sources
On 19 January 2026, a 27-year-old man sustained a bite wound to the chest during a shark attack at Manly, a coastal suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The victim was transported to hospital for treatment; the attack was non-fatal. No shark species was identified in available reports. Earlier the same day, an 11-year-old's surfboard was bitten by a shark at Dee Why, also in northern Sydney, though the child was not injured.
The Manly incident occurred as part of a cluster of four shark attacks along the New South Wales coast within a 48-hour period spanning 18–19 January 2026. The first involved a 12-year-old boy bitten at Vaucluse, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, on 18 January. A fourth attack, involving a 39-year-old surfer who also suffered a chest wound, took place near Port Macquarie, north of Sydney, on 19 January. The series of incidents led to beach closures and heightened caution among water users across the New South Wales coastline.
Sydney's northern beaches and harbour suburbs, including Manly and Dee Why, front the Tasman Sea and are established recreational surfing areas. Shark activity in New South Wales coastal waters is monitored by the state's Department of Primary Industries.
See this incident in the database: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sources
- ·Four shark attacks in 48 hours leave Australian surfer Matt more afraid of local beaches than world’s biggest waves— The Guardian — Sharks(January 20, 2026)
- ·Fourth Shark Attack in 48 Hours on Australia’s New South Wales Coastline Sees Surfer Hospitalized with Chest Wound - People.com— People.com(January 20, 2026)
- ·Fourth Shark Attack in 48 Hours on Australia’s New South Wales Coastline Sees Surfer, 39, Hospitalized with Chest Wound - Yahoo— Yahoo(January 20, 2026)
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