A viral Sydney Harbour stunt is being held up as what not to do at end-of-year Christmas parties now the silly season is well and truly upon us.
New Zealand woman Gabbriella was enjoying her work Christmas party on a boat last week when she decided to slide down into the water fully clothed as her amused colleagues watched on in delight. The 24-year-old was met with cheers as she plunged into the water and resurfaced quickly after with a smile, clearly enjoying herself.
However it wasn’t until after the boat party that she realised just how much potential danger she put herself in, with a wave of Aussies urging her to stay clear of the Harbour water unless she wanted to tempt fate with a bull shark.
“Why am I only finding out now that the Sydney Harbour is absolutely swarmed with bull sharks?” she said online.
“And also that they’re aggressive… Why wasn’t I aware of that!?”
Sydney Harbour is notorious for bull sharks as it’s not unusual for them to venture down from northern regions during the summer months when the weather heats up.
Swimmers can face $1,100 fine for Sydney Harbour dip
It’s not the first time adventurous partygoers have jumped into Sydney Harbour during end of year celebrations. Other than the netted Marrinawi Cove at Barangaroo and a few spots where boats are permitted to dock and swimming can occur, large areas of the harbour are ‘no swimming zones’ due to heavy marine traffic, the threat of bull sharks and contaminants such as waste and debris.
Last year, authorities issued a warning that jumping into the water of Sydney Harbour can come with a $1,100 fine after three women plunged into the water at Cockle Bay.
“Swimming is not permitted at Darling Harbour or Cockle Bay as there is a large amount of boat traffic. There are also no distinct swimming areas with shark nets,” a NSW government spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia previously.
Swimmers at Sydney Harbour run the risk of being fined $1,100. Source: TikTok
A man also faced police last year after he jumped into the harbour from Sydney Opera House bar in only his undies, later claiming he was fined for the act.
A 29-year-old woman was attacked by a shark at a private wharf in Sydney Harbour in January this year. Aussies have long known the danger after an experienced navy clearance driver lost both his arm and leg in 2009 when a bull shark attacked him in Sydney Harbour in a tragedy that made global headlines at the time.
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