Surfer fights off shark with his fists
 
Attack considered most likely carried out by a tiger shark

A surfer fought off a shark with his fists east of Bundaberg in south east Queensland. A witness to the attack, which happened late yesterday at Archie's Beach, said the water around the surfer began to bubble before he started punching the sea.

The man, who was surfing with his son, returned to the beach unharmed and told lifeguards his board had been hit by a "large grey shape". Queensland Shark Control Program manager Tony Ham said it was most likely a tiger shark.

Mr Han reports they catch quite a number of tiger sharks off Bundaberg each year. "At the end of the day the reality is we know they're present all year round."  Mr Ham said the attack may be linked to the region's turtle breeding season. Nesting turtles along the coast provide a feeding ground for lurking tiger sharks, and it is likely the shark mistook the man for a turtle.