What began as a routine fishing trip off Victoria’s stunning Surf Coast quickly transformed into one of the most extraordinary—and debated—wildlife encounters in recent memory. Geelong fisherman Kevin McLaughlin, a seasoned angler with nearly two decades of experience on these waters, found himself sharing his boat with a massive four-metre great white shark for nearly two hours.

The incident unfolded several kilometres offshore from Anglesea, near Torquay, in the waters between Geelong and the popular surf beaches of the region. McLaughlin was out with his boss, Shane, targeting species like gummy sharks when the enormous predator appeared unexpectedly beside their vessel.

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The shark, estimated at around four metres in length, surfaced calmly and began circling the boat in a slow, deliberate pattern. Far from displaying the aggressive behaviour often associated with great whites, the animal appeared inquisitive and remarkably docile. It rubbed against the hull, rolled on its side like a curious pet, and lingered persistently, showing no interest in leaving.

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McLaughlin described the shark as “calm and inquisitive,” noting it spent close to two hours simply “checking us out.” In an interview on Channel 7’s Sunrise program, he recounted how the shark ignored a mackerel he tossed overboard as potential food. “It actually wasn’t hungry; it was just swimming around the boat pretty well, checking us out,” he said. “I chucked out a fish earlier, and it just completely ignored it, sank to the bottom, and was more interested in checking us out.”

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The encounter escalated when the shark drew close enough to nudge the boat, prompting McLaughlin to reach out and make physical contact. Video footage captured the moment he pushed the shark’s nose away, an action that sparked widespread concern among viewers who initially interpreted it as patting or tapping the animal. McLaughlin later clarified the intent: “It was potentially going to put some teeth marks in my boss’s boat. It was really docile. It looks a bit more extreme than it is.”

He emphasised that he was gently pushing it away to discourage any chewing on the vessel’s structure, rather than playfully interacting. The shark remained non-aggressive throughout, behaving almost like “a big puppy,” as some media reports described it. At one point, McLaughlin even attempted to hand-feed it, dropping a fish toward its open mouth, though the shark showed limited enthusiasm for the offering.

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Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are apex predators common in southern Australian waters, particularly along Victoria’s coast, where they patrol for seals, fish, and other prey. Encounters with boats are not unheard of—sharks are known to investigate vessels out of curiosity, drawn by engine noise, vibrations, or scents—but prolonged, close-contact interactions like this are exceptionally rare.

Marine experts have cautioned that such boldness carries inherent risks. While this shark displayed unusually placid behaviour, great whites remain powerful and unpredictable wild animals capable of inflicting serious injury. The footage has reignited discussions about human-shark interactions, with some praising McLaughlin’s composure and others warning against encouraging close proximity to large predators.

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For McLaughlin, the experience was overwhelmingly positive. “It just turned up to the boat, and we just let it hang around us for the next two hours. It was a good experience,” he told Sunrise. “It wasn’t actually really aggravated or anything, it was just checking us out pretty well.”

The Surf Coast, encompassing areas like Anglesea and Torquay, is renowned for its rugged beauty, world-class surfing, and rich marine life. This incident serves as a striking reminder of the wild ocean’s unpredictability and the awe-inspiring creatures that share these waters with recreational users. While the shark eventually departed without incident, the memory of that serene yet intense encounter will likely stay with McLaughlin and his companion forever.

In an era where shark sightings often fuel fear, this story highlights a different side: one of mutual curiosity between human and apex predator, unfolding peacefully on a calm day out on the water.