Woman felt 'strike' then 'excruciating pain' in shark attack at Sydney beach

A woman felt something strike her leg and then excruciating pain in what she would later learn was a shark attack at a beach in Sydney's south.

Emergency services were called to Gunyah Beach, near Bundeena, following reports the woman was screaming for help about 1.30pm today.

NSW Ambulance acting inspector Andrew Bibby told reporters the woman became unconscious in the water and locals ran in to help.

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"Locals had escorted her from the water to the rocks at the beach where there was a very, very significant laceration to her right leg," he said.

"She reported she was in the water, possibly paddleboarding, we think, when she felt a strike to the leg and then immediate, excruciating pain."

Bibby said the woman, aged in her 30s, is believed to have been bitten by a shark.

The locals applied pressure to her leg to stop the bleeding and used several towels to stem the wound.

"Incredibly lucky ... I don't know that she would have gotten out of the water herself," Bibby said.

"The good locals here were able to help her out and apply first aid immediately, which helped stem some of the bleeding."

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Paramedics treated the woman at the scene before she was flown in a critical condition to St George Hospital.

NSW Police, Fire and Rescue and Surf Rescue also attended the scene.

"Where she was was quite an isolated part of the beach, there was only pedestrian access through 50 stairs, but we loaded her onto one of our boards and carried her around about 800 metres to Bundeena wharf where we could load her into an ambulance," Bibby said.

Bibby said the woman's injuries do not appear to be life-threatening but there may be permanent damage to her leg.

Sutherland Shire has closed all the beaches in the area as it investigates the incident.

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