New Caledonia beach where Australian father Chris Davis mauled to death by shark closed for a year

A popular beach where a beloved Aussie dad was bitten to death by a shark will be closed for a year, as will other nearby swimming spots following a spate of recent attacks.

Chris Davis, 55, died of horrific injuries after being bitten by a four-meter tiger shark while swimming on Château-Royal beach in the New Caledonian capital of Noumea on February 19.

The triathlete and father of three was swimming just 500 feet from shore when the predator severed his femoral artery in a single bite.

The horrific attack was the third in months, with a 49-year-old woman mauled by a bull shark while swimming on the beach just weeks earlier.

In response to the series of attacks, the Noumea City Council has banned swimming on the capital’s tropical beaches until December 31, 2023.

Tourists can swim just 20 meters from shore in a supervised area at Lemon Bay in Baie des Citrons between 8.45am and 4pm.

The ban will remain in place until the municipality installs shark nets on the beaches, and swimming is allowed in coves outside the municipal area.

The Australian government agency Smartraveller has warned tourists.

“Beaches in Noumea will remain closed until December 31, 2023 following a bathing ban by local authorities along the entire 300-meter coastal zone of the city,” it said.

“This follows three shark attacks in early 2023, one of which was fatal.”

Australians have taken to social media to complain about the ban.

“Hey New Caledonia, I thought I should point out that due to the stupid City Council decision to ban all beach swimming in Noumea, we have had to cancel our bookings,” one person wrote on Facebook.

‘We used to like going to the Hilton Noumea La Promenade and local restaurants.

“But that’s it for us. Those bookings have been canceled and we are done. Bye.’

Others were concerned about the danger shark nets could pose to other wildlife.

“So all the turtles I swam with at Duck Island are now going to get caught in nets… f****** ridiculous,” someone said.

“It’s funny reading this info…when you look at the stats the area has had 13 shark attacks since the 1990s and Australia has had about 365…we still swim on our beaches,” commented one third up.

Davis was vacationing in New Caledonia when he was attacked by a tiger shark. Eyewitnesses said the attack lasted no more than 10 seconds.

Jet skiers plucked him from the water and returned him to the sand where paramedics performed CPR for 40 minutes but were unable to revive him.

It was the third shark attack in the bay in recent months, after a local teacher lost her leg on January 29 and a foil surfer was attacked but escaped unharmed a week later.

A map of shark attacks in New Caledonia and surrounding islands over the past 60 years shows that there have been regular attacks on tourist beaches around Noumea.

The island has recorded an average of one shark attack per year since 1958.

Local authorities have removed tiger and bull sharks from the protected species list in 2021 as part of a broader mission to reduce attacks.

There is local speculation that the shark was drawn to the beach by scraps of food thrown into the water from the viewing deck of a nearby restaurant.

Local posters warn people not to throw food or fish less than 500 meters from shore.