Overview

• Queensland’s Department of Primary Industries said a Shark Control Program contractor cut the Noosa whales free at about 11:30pm, and the damaged net will be replaced.
• Authorities delayed the rescue until night for safety reasons, and witnesses reported the calf became more entangled during the hours-long wait.
• Researchers and officials highlighted multiple recent cases, including a mother–calf pair that dragged a net from Rainbow Beach to Hervey Bay with disentanglement ongoing, and a separate Marcoola report that remains unconfirmed.
• Animal welfare groups urged the removal or reform of shark nets, citing RSPCA data of 1,639 animals captured and more than 980 deaths in 2024, and scientists warned calves face high drowning risk.
• The Queensland government defended its expanded Shark Control Program as prioritising swimmer safety and pointed to a review suggesting nets and drumlines likely reduce attacks, while urging the public to report entanglements to the hotline rather than intervene.