SharkSmart drone program expanded at south-east beaches amid criticism of nets

16 hours ago 1

Hundreds of new flights have been completed under the SharkSmart drone program at six new beaches this summer, with the government boasting about its use of non-lethal and innovative solutions to save lives.

Premier David Crisafulli previously defended the state’s use of shark nets by saying he would not protect the environment over human life.

Drone surveillance was implemented in September at Kirra Beach on the Gold Coast, Cylinder Beach on North Stradbroke Island, Tangalooma at Moreton Island, Kings Beach on the Sunshine Coast, Kellys Beach in Bundaberg, and Agnes Water Main Beach.

SharkSmart drones are now in use at six new beaches, mainly in south-east Queensland.

Since then, 149 sharks have been spotted at the new locations.

The drone program’s expansion has focused on the state’s most popular and densely populated beaches, Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett said.

“We boosted the investment into the Shark Control Program by 151 per cent, resulting in more than $88 million of additional funding over the life of the plan.

“Importantly, 60 per cent of the new investment delivers the non-lethal and innovative solutions that have been a key feature of the strengthened Shark Management Plan 2025-2029.

“The Crisafulli government made a commitment to double its drone program to 20 beaches for the 2026-27 season, and we are well on track to delivering – if not exceeding – that commitment to Queenslanders’ safety.

“We’re particularly proud to be expanding the drone surveillance program across our iconic beaches on the southern Gold Coast, where we’ve been able to obtain all the relevant permits to allow drone flights in restricted airspace.”

The expansion follows criticism of the Crisafulli government for relying on outdated shark-control methods.

After the death of a teenage girl in February last year, the state government announced an expansion of its shark management program, including new shark nets and drum lines.

Humpback whales have previously become entangled in shark nets off Kirra Beach on the Gold Coast.

In October, ecologist Vincent Raoult told this masthead traditional shark-control methods “just aren’t very effective at protecting people”.

When 12 whales became entangled in nets last September, Crisafulli defended the expansion by saying he would not protect the environment “at the expense of one single human”.

Experts have called on the government to switch from shark nets and traditional drum lines to SharkSmart drones and Catch Alert drum lines.

While the immediate cost of adopting the new technology would be large, Raoult said it could be similar to recent investments in the current systems and the cost of their ongoing upkeep.

“If you’re going to spend more money, I would say the vast majority of scientists who are familiar with sharks would say it’s better spent elsewhere,” Raoult said.

Drones can also be used to identify other risks for swimmers, such as rips, so they serve as “a double whammy”.

“You have a benefit for shark safety, but also you’re potentially reducing the risk to beach users at the same time,” Raoult said. “Drones are an easy win, in my eyes, for beach safety, full stop, regardless of sharks or not.”

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