Hitting the beach plays a huge part in the Australian lifestyle.
But in some parts of the country the danger of a shark attack is real.
Shark nets are the most common way to protect swimmers at busy beaches.
But do they really keep us safe?
We've taken a look at how shark management works.
What are shark nets, and how do they work?
Shark nets are large mesh nets spanning about 150 metres long and hanging about 6m down into the ocean.
They are attached to floats and anchored to the sea floor to ensure they remain in place.
Sharks get caught in the nets and if contractors find they are among a list of target species, they kill them.
Sharks can swim around the nets, and are often caught only when they swim past the nets a second time when returning back out to sea.
New South Wales uses nets at 51 beaches, removing them for the early portion of the whale migration season, from May to September, to protect the mammals.
Queensland doesn't remove its shark nets for whale migration.
It manages shark nets and drum lines at 86 beaches.
In Western Australia, measures which kill sharks are no longer used after thousands of people protested against the government's shark culling programs in 2014.
Authorities in WA tag and track sharks, use drones, put up eco barriers (a complete swimming closure which keeps sharks out) and subsidise personal shark deterrent devices.
No other states or territories try to manage sharks.
Do shark nets help keep us safe from sharks?
There's research that suggests nets could help, but many scientists believe there are better alternatives.
Shark nets span only part of a beach, so they don't remove all risk of an attack.
A 1997 research paper by shark scientist Sheldon Dudley found shark net programs on beaches in Queensland, New South Wales and South Africa were "impressive" in reducing the total number of shark attacks.
It found attacks fell by about 90 per cent at the beaches after the introduction of programs which included nets.
But a report prepared by shark researcher Daryl McPhee in 2012 found that while the numbers led to the belief that nets were effective, there was more at play.
"The rate of fatalities is highly unlikely to be a result of meshing activities, but is likely to be a function of improved beachfront response time and first aid procedures," his report for the Department of Fisheries, Western Australia said.
Why don't people like them?
Put simply, shark nets kill sharks.
But they also kill a lot of other ocean creatures.
Australia is one of the only countries in the world to actively kill sharks caught in nets and on drum lines in an attempt to protect people.
Australian Marine Conservation Society shark biologist Leonardo Guida says the Queensland government lists 19 target species which can be killed, including great whites, tiger sharks and grey reef sharks.
Sharks are not allowed to be killed on the Great Barrier Reef.
Data from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries shows its program caught 826 sharks last year using nets and drum lines.
But it also caught 21 dolphins, six humpback whales, 110 turtles and 90 "other" animals.
A report from the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries showed nets there caught 40 target sharks — white sharks, bull sharks and tiger sharks — in the 2021/2022 meshing season.
But they also caught 335 non-target animals including turtles, rays, dolphins and fish.
That's a lot of bycatch.
Contractors free non-target animals when found, but sometimes it's too late.
Are SMART drum lines better than nets?
SMART drum lines are baited hooks which, when bitten, send a signal to authorities who will race out to tag and release the shark.
But they are expensive to run because contractors have to be paid to be on on call, waiting for a shark to take the bait.
In recent years, trials of SMART drum lines have been rolled out across Australian beaches.
Dr Guida says they are a step in the right direction if used as a replacement for existing shark nets or traditional drum lines.
But he says the money could be better used to pay scientists to tag and track shark without using the hooks.
Traditional drum lines, without the alarm technology, are still used in Queensland to catch sharks on the end of a baited hook dangling from a drum in the ocean.
The drum lines are checked regularly, but animals die if they are left there too long. Any target sharks still alive when they are hauled in are killed.
Surely there are better options?
There are many alternatives being considered in Australia to keep sharks away from beaches.
But trials are costly and there's no single strategy that would work for the different water conditions across the country.
There's also no silver bullet.
A report for the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in 2019 identified more than a dozen different systems which could be used.
They include CleverBuoys which send out sonar signals, human spotters, drones, barriers and shark-repelling cables which emit low frequency pulsed electronic signals to turn away sharks.
Dr Guida says using a combination of strategies could reduce the risk of attacks in Australia.
But he says education and awareness are fundamental.
How can I reduce my risk of being eaten?
The risk of being bitten by a shark is less than one in a million.
But if you still don't like your chances, there's a few things to keep in mind to help prevent yourself from being shark bait.
Sea birds diving into the ocean are indicative of a bait ball — where there is a bait ball, there's probably going to be sharks. Stay clear!
Another good tip for surfers and swimmers is to keep away from river mouths after heavy rain.
Nutrients running into the ocean can attract animals to feed, and the reduced visibility after rain is ideal for ambush predators.
Shark-proof wetsuits and repellent devices attached to boards and bands have also begun to hit the market.
Studies have shown that the polymer fibres in shark-proof wetsuits reduce the size and depth of shark bites, and therefore reduce the blood loss that can lead to death.
Several studies have proved that repellent devices reduce the risk of a shark interaction.
