Shark attack plans ‘adequate’ despite teen girl’s death
Rex Martinich |
A volunteer lifeguard’s shark-attack death will not face an inquest after a coroner found there were “appropriate” safety measures at the beach.
Charlize Maree Zmuda died in February 2025 while swimming at an unpatrolled beach at Woorim on Bribie Island off Queensland’s Moreton Bay.
The 17-year-old student and Bribie Island resident was a competent swimmer and a volunteer lifeguard.
In a report handed down this week, Coroner Carol Lee found Charlize suffered fatal injuries before her friend waiting onshore raised the alarm.
“Her friend saw a commotion in the water and a quantity of blood and heard a scream,” Ms Lee said of the February 3 incident.
“Charlize was then seen floating on her back with no further signs of movement.”
The teen died at the scene after extensive injuries from a shark bite to her right upper arm caused an air embolism that fatally blocked arteries, the coroner found.
“DNA analysis of wound swabs and shark teeth (on Charlize’s body) confirmed a bull shark as responsible for the wounds,” Ms Lee said.
A wound analysis estimated the shark was between 2.5 and 2.9 metres in length.
The beach did not have protective nets used elsewhere under the Queensland government’s shark control program.
But shark nets were not suitable at the beach due to the high tidal currents, which tend to twist or drag the nets, rendering them ineffective, Ms Lee said.
At the time of his beloved daughter’s death, Steve Zmuda urged Australians to not be afraid of the ocean despite the tragic incident.
“Something that my wife and I wanted to say is we don’t want people to stop coming to the beach and enjoying our beach,” he told reporters.
“It’s a big part of our lives.”
The shark control program ended a trial run of surveillance drones at Woorim Beach the day before the incident.
Some 18 baited hook drumlines were however floating between 300 and 350 metres offshore.
Drumlines trap feeding sharks for euthanasia or relocation.
“In accordance with standard servicing protocols and timeframes, the Woorim Beach drumlines were serviced by a contractor two days before the incident,” Ms Lee said.
“All drumlines were baited and found to be operational.”
Only four sharks have been caught in the Woorim Beach drumlines, including two bull sharks, between January 2024 and March 2025.
“Shark nets and drumlines do not provide an impenetrable barrier,” Ms Lee said.
The shark control program under an earlier independent review and underwent substantial reform and investment after Charlize’s death.
“I am satisfied that an appropriate shark risk mitigation framework is in place in an attempt to reduce the occurrence of shark attack risk at our coastline in the future, with the aim of protection of human life whilst maintaining environmental stewardship,” Ms Lee said.
“I extend my condolences to Charlize’s family and friends for their loss.”
AAP