"Bruce, he has been sighted on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, definitely the Friday," Mr Scruton told AFP. "But I don't think they've sighted him again this weekend."

Sharks are a regular feature in Australian waters and swimmers and surfers have had their fair share of encounters with the animals this summer.

Some beaches to the north and south of Sydney were closed at the weekend due to shark sightings and a 17-year-old boy was admitted to hospital after he was bitten on the hand while spearfishing 230 kilometres south of Sydney on Friday.

A white shark in Australian waters in 2014 (@SLSWA)

Fatalities are rare in Australia but two teenagers died in shark attacks last month, one on the west coast and one on the east.

Mr Scruton said there had been a number of sharks seen around Newcastle and the Hunter region this summer, with another large one taunting two fishermen at the weekend by circling and nudging their small boat.

"It felt like getting trapped in a room with an angry pit bull," one of those on-board, Tim Watson, told the Newcastle Herald.

"It wouldn't leave us alone. You almost wanted to stop and admire it but it was being pretty aggressive.

"It was as big as a wagon car that's what it felt like looking at it," Mr Watson said.

Mr Scruton said he hoped that Bruce had enjoyed his holiday in Newcastle and had moved on for good.

Originally posted here:

Australia beaches reopen after shark sightings