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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →SharkSmart issued a warning for the lower Swan River on 24 February 2026 after repeated detections of a tagged bull shark at the East Fremantle and Blackwall Reach monitoring receivers. The notice covered the river from Melville Waters to Fremantle. It is a dated warning, not confirmation of current conditions: on 4 October 2026, SharkSmart’s alert index featured a Perth metropolitan waters warning updated on 1 October. Check SharkSmart’s live alerts before entering the water.
What did the Blackwall Reach shark alert say?
In its 24 February 2026 notice, SharkSmart said a bull shark had been detected multiple times over the preceding three days at the East Fremantle and Blackwall Reach Shark Monitoring receivers. The agency issued a WARNING for the lower reaches of the Swan River, describing the area as extending from Melville Waters to Fremantle. It advised people to take additional caution there.
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The alert concerned repeated detections of a tagged bull shark. It did not establish how many distinct sharks were present, how many untagged sharks might be in the river, or the probability that someone would encounter one. SharkSmart’s risk wording was qualified: “It is possible that the frequency of the recent tagged shark detections may increase the likelihood of encountering a shark in this area.”
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Is the Swan River warning still active?
A warning issued in February does not establish today’s conditions. When checked on 4 October 2026, SharkSmart’s alert index featured a Perth metropolitan waters WARNING updated on 1 October; the February Swan River notice was not among the index’s current top alerts. That does not, by itself, establish whether a particular river location is safe or whether the live feed has changed since then. Check the current SharkSmart alerts close to the time you plan to go in the water, and follow any local closure or direction.
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What should people do near the lower Swan River?
- Take additional caution in the area named in the February notice: the lower Swan River from Melville Waters to Fremantle.
- Follow beach closures or other directions from local government rangers and Parks and Wildlife Service officers.
- Check shark activity through the SharkSmart website or app. SharkSmart also advised following Surf Life Saving WA on X for information.
- If you see a shark, report the sighting to Water Police on 9442 8600.
SharkSmart said officers from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), along with staff from other agencies, would continue to monitor the situation.
What do the receiver detections tell you?
The notice’s “multiple times over the past 3 days” describes the period in which the tagged shark was detected; it is not a shark count or a measure of encounter risk. Receivers can register tagged animals, but this alert does not quantify the chance of a person seeing or encountering a shark.
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As background, the Western Australian Government said on 11 December 2023 that receivers at East Fremantle, Blackwall Reach and near Canning Bridge would provide near-real-time notifications of tagged shark activity through the SharkSmart app and website. That announcement describes the intended information service at that time; it is not proof of present receiver performance.
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