Sharks: A History of Fear in Australia

For as long as people have lived in Australia, the shark has loomed large in our fears. From the Noongar people of Western Australia who stayed out of the water for fear of being taken, to media hysteria about attacks and even sightings today, sharks occupy the dark recesses of our national psyche unlike any other predator. They challenge the very sense of ourselves as Australians, a people who hug the coastline and love the freedom of the surf. And the dispute between whether to kill or protect