Shark barrier gets Dunsborough trial

The trial of a new shark enclosure in Dunsborough is now underway with the completion of an underwater barrier.

The State Government provided $165,370 to the City of Busselton to run the trial, which will test the suitability of beach enclosures to protect beachgoers from sharks.

The beach enclosure is designed to be shark-proof and is similar to those used successfully on the Gold Coast to prevent bull shark attacks.

In a media release today Premier Colin Barnett said Old Dunsborough Beach was an appropriate location for the trial because it was one of the most highly used beaches in the South West.

“This enclosure, which extends about 100m from the shore and runs parallel with the beach for approximately 300m, is designed to keep swimmers safe by acting as a barrier to repel sharks,” the statement said.

Mr Barnett said he hoped the trial would be successful and he looked forward to seeing the results.