Former rugby star Dr Mick Barry drowns on Gold Coast

A man who drowned on the Gold Coast has been identified as former Wallaby and retired specialist doctor Mick Barry.

The 78-year-old was pulled from the water by fellow swimmers at Currumbin Beach around 5.45am this morning.

They performed CPR on the beach until paramedics arrived but sadly Mr Barry could not be revived.

Jim Burdette was swimming with Dr Barry in the water when he got into difficulty.

"Everyone is shocked. The whole local community," he said.

"He touched a lot of people in the sporting world and in the medical world."

Mr Barry was a prominent figure in the Gold Coast community and a member of a number of local swimming and surf lifesaving groups.

The former rugby star played halfback for the Brisbane side Brothers and represented the Queensland Reds and Australia against South Africa in 1966.