"Juvenile sharks generally don't know what they're doing," he told AAP. "It's a curiosity injury rather than anything else."
Neff shut down calls for shark nets in the area, saying there was no data to back up their effectiveness.
He also believes beachgoers shouldn't be worried about a repeat attack because sharks move between 50 and 100 km a day. "They don't stay in the same area - that's a myth," Neff said. "There's no real science behind looking for the shark, that's more to ease public fear and to make people comfortable going back in the water."
Neff said while no swimmer was to blame for any shark incident, swimming at dusk and dawn can be hazardous because people are usually alone.
He said statistically two things are true about increased risk: that water temperatures below 20C can lead to an increase in white shark activity, and that shark behaviour is correlated to the lunar cycle.
"If there's a new moon, sharks come in closer to shore. You just want to be mindful."
- AAP
