Steven Payne was fatally attacked by a large Great White Shark at Wharton Beach in March. Photo: supplied.
It is unlikely a deterrent device would have warded off the shark that killed Steven Payne at Wharton Beach earlier this year, acting state coroner Sarah Linton concluded in her final report.
“No shark repellent device can conclusively prevent an attack,” Coroner Linton said.
“In the circumstances of this attack, where it appears the shark attacked at high speed from some distance (a natural predatory behaviour for great white sharks), I understand it is very unlikely any device would be effective to prevent the attack.
“Therefore, even if Steve had been wearing his device or another similar device, it is unlikely to have made any difference to the outcome”.
Competent surfer and “gentle giant” Mr Payne was one month into a six-month road trip with his partner Catherine and their dog when he surfed Wharton’s crystal-clear waters on March 10.
The pair started their trip from their home in Geelong and had travelled through South Australia before entering the west.
The coroner’s report said New Zealand-born Mr Payne and his partner both owned a Shark Banz deterrent device which she said they had worn in SA “to give them some peace of mind”.
Mr Payne decided not to wear his Banz when he paddled around 60 metres offshore on the northeast side of Wharton Beach.
“It seems that Catherine and Steve understood the particular risks in surfing in South Australia but perhaps were less keenly aware that those same risks were present in Esperance,” Coroner Linton said.
“However, I understand that Steve was aware generally that there is always a low risk of shark attack when out surfing in the ocean off the Australian coastline — he was willing to assume that risk to have the joy of doing what he loved.”
She noted from an academic source that fatal shark attacks while surfing in Australia are estimated to be fewer than one in four million surf days.
Mr Payne was one of three surfers in the water at the time of the attack and the report said he was the furthest out.
The findings showed all three surfers were sitting on their boards waiting for a wave when a 3.2 – 3.5 metre Great White Shark appeared behind Mr Payne.
Coroner Linton said the attack was witnessed by the other surfers, Mr Payne’s partner, and several people on shore, some of whom captured the incident on camera.
One of the surfers observed the incident from the rocks where he had paddled to safety, the report said.
Coroner Linton said the surfer saw the shark doing figure eights around Mr Payne, whose body was in the water with his surfboard floating close by.
“After a couple of minutes, the shark and Steve disappeared from view beneath the surface of the water and only his damaged surfboard remained in sight,” Coroner Linton said.
The evidence indicates he was not aware that the shark was approaching and never made a sound when the attack occurred.
The scientist who examined Mr Payne’s board told police the shark most likely either moved Payne from the attack site or consumed his body.
“While his body was never recovered… I find beyond reasonable doubt that Steve is deceased and that he died as a result of multiple injuries.
“It is hopefully a very small comfort to Catherine and Steve’s family that he died almost instantaneously.”
The report said after the attack, bystanders drove a distraught and shocked Catherine back to the caravan park where she was cared for by staff before paramedics arrived.
Coroner Linton said Mr Payne and Catherine did not support culling and said she had not wished for any attempt to be made to kill the shark.
