‘Monster sharks’ lurking in Gold Coast waterways

It’s no secret south-east Queenslanders are mad about fishing, but this summer anglers might be getting more than they bargained for.

Bull sharks measuring over three metres in length are making Gold Coast waterways their home, and numbers are on the rise.

Loganlea mum Renee Gardner works for the Department of Primary Industries and tags large sharks regularly.

She recently hooked her own 2.8 metre bull shark in the Logan River, getting up close for a kiss before releasing it into the water.

“To catch something that big and that round – that size, that girth – was just absolutely amazing,” she said.

Brendan Elmslie, host of Mad Fins Fishing, also chases and catches these monsters, telling 9NEWS they’re coming in to breed as the water warms up.

“They get up to 1000 pounds (454kg). Having that on the end of your rod is insane,” he said.

Ms Garnder says migration is just one of the reasons why the shark population is growing across the Gold Coast.

Department of Primary Industries staff say numbers are on the rise because of restrictions on the number of sharks you can catch.

“You can only take species under 1.5 metres and larger species can’t be taken. Certain species are protected,” Ms Gardner said.

But don’t give up your summer beach plans just yet – Ms Gardner says while the sharks might check you out in the water, they’ll probably leave you alone. 

“They’d rather be chasing a mullet than chasing a person."