Great white shark bites boat's motor off Portland coast, swimmers urged to stay out of water
Keep across all the live scores and results from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park
Two fishermen say the moment a great white shark bit into their motor was "the scariest" of their lives.
Peter Galea and Joseph McKinnon were in waters near Anderson Point, in South West Victoria, trying to catch kingfish when they felt the shark nudge their boat.
"He went under the boat, he lifted it about 4 inches out the water, pretty frightening," Mr Galea told ABC Statewide Drive.
"As he came up for the motor, he came up on his side and he was looking at me, jet black eyes, and then when he bit the motor, his eyes rolled white.
"It was just like what you see on TV, I got chills through my body."
Authorities previously described the shark as '"approximately 2.5 metres in length" when it was spotted near the Water Tower at Anderson Point.
An advice message was issued for Portland by Vic Emergency, as any shark over two metres in length is considered dangerous.
There has been an advice warning for the south-west coast for the past week, after two whale carcasses were found off the Portland coast.
A whale carcass may attract sharks and other marine life and can cause the animals to come closer to shore than they ordinarily would.
Beachgoers are urged to exercise additional caution if heading to the coast and it's advised anyone looking to cool down find another area to swim in.
Swimmers should not enter the beach at Anderson Point, which is north of the Portland Harbour.
The Victorian Fisheries Authority is monitoring the situation and will continue to provide updates on the great white's whereabouts.
Whale carcasses can naturally attract scavenging fish and sharks and an increase in marine activity has been expected by the Fisheries Authority.
ABC Ballarat will deliver a wrap of the week's news, stories and photos every Wednesday. Sign up to stay connected.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work.
This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced.
AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
