How can we stay safe from sharks?

And as eager water-lovers get ready to flood beaches the fear is more Australians will have close encounters with these apex predators.

But trying to allay some of the anxieties are many researchers and scientists around the country putting incredible effort into making it safe for humans and sharks to co-exist in the ocean.

Dr Nathan Hart is a world-leading animal neurologist who has extensively researched shark behaviour to discover how they think.

"It's absolutely fascinating. Imagine taking one of the most amazing, powerful predators and trying to get inside their head and understand how they see the world," he told Tom Steinfort.

But he urged ocean-goers not to think the worst of these giant sea creatures, explaining the increase in attacks is down to one simple fact - people and sharks are mixing much more than ever before.

"I don't think sharks have changed their behaviour, it's just the circumstances," Dr Hart said.

"What we don't want is people thinking that sharks are out to get humans, I think that's very far from the truth."

In recent years there's been plenty of debate about the best way to handle the danger posed by sharks, but in New South Wales, indiscriminate shark nets and catch-and-kill drum lines are now destined to become a thing of the past.

Instead, the focus will be on improving surf safety through technology and by catching and tagging sharks.

Researcher Dr Paul Butcher and his team, who have tagged over 1000 sharks, have made some amazing discoveries through their analysis.

"We now understand when they're going to be on our beaches, where they migrate, what they eat, how big their population size is. It's all combining into our beach safety programme," Dr Butcher said.

Every catch helps, with data revealing some great white sharks travel around 40,000 kilometres in a three-year period, moving all the way from Australia to Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, and New Zealand.

"It's not ad hoc in where their movement patterns are. They've got straight lines. They know exactly where they need to move to."

While shark bites and attacks are rare and not always deliberate, they are undoubtedly traumatic for their victims.

Dave Pearson knows how horrific this experience can be; the surfer was attacked by a bull shark in 2011 at a secluded beach at Crowdy Head.

He said when we share the ocean with these predators, we all have the power to improve our safety by weighing up the risks when we enter their domain.

"I'll stand there for five minutes or so just looking at what's going on. Am I seeing any fish? Am I seeing any birds?" he said.

"I am going to be aware of what's happening while I'm out there as well, so I'm going to do everything I can in my power to limit that risk if I can."

However, with a coastline the size of Australia's and home to the three most fearsome sharks in the world, the reality is we will never be able to prevent every shark bite.