Bondi’s iconic shores are seeing sharks stick around for longer as ocean temperatures rise, with researchers warning that bull sharks may soon become a year-round presence.
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New findings based on 15 years of acoustic tracking data from 92 migratory bull sharks show that these predators are now lingering off the Sydney coastline for an average of 15 days longer in summer than they were in 2009. The warmer water is disrupting traditional migration patterns, which typically saw bull sharks head north to Queensland during the colder months.
Bondi Beach, a hotspot for both swimmers and researchers, is at the centre of these changing patterns. The area has recorded a gradual rise in sea-surface temperatures, averaging a 0.57°C increase between 2006 and 2024, extending the window when sharks are likely to be present.
Recent real-time data supports these findings. On July 29 at 2:41 am, White Shark #2194 was detected by a receiver just off Bondi, according to the Dorsal Watch shark alert system. Another detection, recorded on August 8, involved an unspecified species triggering a Bondi receiver.
Although shark bites remain rare, the prolonged presence of bull sharks off Bondi could increase the overlap between these large predators and beachgoers. Experts say that while the risks are still low, awareness is key as warming seas shift marine behaviours.
The trend is not only affecting bull sharks. Researchers have also observed changes in the distribution of other species, with early signs of juvenile bull sharks moving further south and cooler-water species like great whites appearing less frequently in their traditional northern ranges.
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The ongoing warming of Sydney’s coastal waters could mean that Bondi swimmers will need to remain shark-aware for longer periods each year, especially as tracking data reveals more frequent activity close to shore.
Published 8-August-2025
