The Queensland state ambulance service said the pair were rushed to hospital with leg and foot wounds from the attack along a beach on Hamilton Island, but the injuries were not life-threatening.
ADVERTISEMENT
Shark attacks woman, child at popular Australian tourist site
A woman and a child were bitten by a shark in the popular Whitsunday Islands near Australia's Great Barrier Reef on Thursday in the latest of a string of such attacks, reports and officials said.
The Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park off the east coast of Australia are known for their extraordinary natural beauty and marine life
Local media said the victims were a woman and young child playing in the shallow waters of the island's Catseye Beach.
It was the latest in a series of shark attacks in waters around the Whitsunday islands, which had been considered safe for swimming.
One man died of his injuries from an attack in November, and a 12-year-old girl lost a leg after another mauling in September.
ADVERTISEMENT
Australia has one of the world's highest incidences of shark attacks, but fatalities remain rare.
There were 20 "unprovoked" shark attacks off the vast continent's coast in 2018, though only one was fatal, according to data compiled by the Taronga Zoo in Sydney.
Hamilton island grabbed global headlines in 2009 when 34,000 people entered a competition to land the "Best Job in the World" -- a six-month stint as "caretaker" of the idyllic destination.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh
Recommended articles
Truck driver arrested for allegedly causing train accident on Tema-Mpakadan railway line
Kia driver who caused accident involving Ghana’s new train reports himself to Police
No passenger injured in accident involving Ghana’s newly imported train – Railways Minister
NAGRAT gives govt one-week deadline to address unpaid pensions affecting 700,000 workers
Inside story of how Ghana’s new train got involved in accident on a test run
She sent naked photos to Dubai lover while I battled kidney disease - Erico speaks on divorce
How did young politicians get so rich in just 5 to 7 years - Franklin Cudjoe asks
Artificial Intelligence will affect around 40% of the global workforce — IMF
![Police officers questioned the woman (image used for illustrative purpose [Adobe Stock]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'300'%20height%3D'172'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Police officers questioned the woman (image used for illustrative purpose [Adobe Stock]")