A shocking incident unfolded in 1985 when a Great White shark attacked Shirley Ann Durdin while she was diving for scallops in South Australia. The 33-year-old mother was viciously torn apart, leaving only a headless torso recovered from the clear waters of Peake Bay. The gruesome attack took place at Wiseman’s beach, witnessed by her husband and children, who helplessly saw the tragedy unfold.
In response to the horrific incident, a search was launched for the killer shark by the Port Lincoln Game Fishing Club and abalone divers. The authorities placed nets and bait in the area to lure out the shark, while warning the public to avoid swimming in the vicinity. Concerned citizens and local clubs decided that the shark, believed to be either injured or elderly, needed to be destroyed to prevent future attacks.
Efforts to locate the shark included patrols by police and divers, but initial searches proved futile. The Fisheries Department’s Shark Cat patrol boat also failed to find the predator despite extensive search efforts. As the search continued, State Emergency Service personnel scoured the Peake Bay area, where no previous shark sightings had been reported. The community gathered to mourn Shirley at a memorial service held at the Port Lincoln Uniting Church.