Latest news with #Woolloomooloo
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Shocking new details emerge about shark attack on Sydney Harbour: 'It was eating me'
Sixteen years after a bull shark tore off his arm and leg in Sydney Harbour, former Navy diver Paul de Gelder is back in shark-infested waters, this time by choice. In a new Discovery series, How To Survive a Shark Attack, de Gelder puts himself in high-risk situations to test survival tactics and educate viewers on how to stay alive during an encounter with one of the ocean's deadliest predators. Viewers will experience real shark attacks up close through a series of never-before-attempted experiments that teach life-saving tactics for surviving an encounter. One experiment shows de Gelder on an upturned kayak with hungry sharks circling underneath. In another exeriment De Gelder straps on fake limbs oozing with blood, then feeds them to real sharks mouths. 'Paul, I just want to go on the record and say that I'm not comfortable with this,' a producer warned off-camera. He insists filming the program wasn't retraumatising and sees himself as a survivor rather than a victim. 'I've lived a pretty tumultuous life, and I don't really look at the bad things that have happened to me as anchor points that I need to latch onto and spiral into depression or have PTSD or anything like that,' he said. Sixteen years ago, on February 11, 2009, de Gelder was taking part in a counter-terrorism military exercise in Sydney Harbour near Woolloomooloo when a nine-foot-long bull shark attacked him without warning. The assault lasted just eight seconds, but it cost him an arm and a leg. 'No one saw the shark coming. It was eating me before everyone knew what was even happening,' he told 'I grabbed it by the nose and I tried to lever it off me, but that did absolutely nothing. 'I tried to punch it off ... but it took me under and started tearing me apart. He pounded the 300kg beast with everything he had as it pulled him under once more, convinced this time it was the end. 'I was drowning in agony, being eaten alive and I realised there was nothing I could do, so I gave up.' Then, in a move he still can't explain, the shark suddenly let go, leaving de Gelder floating in the harbour. Despite the catastrophic injuries, he managed to swim back to the safety boat through a pool of his own blood. Onboard, his colleagues desperately tried to stop the bleeding using T-shirts. 'Then it was thanks to my chief on the wharf, knowing that it wasn't stopping the blood, so he got one of the guys to pinch an artery closed with their fingers,' de Gelder said. 'The surgeon said if he hadn't done that, I would have died within another 30 seconds.' He recalls the surreal moment it all began: 'I was on the surface, on my back, kicking my legs when all of the sudden, I felt this pressure on my leg. I turned around and I came face to face with a massive shark's head. 'And then my survival instincts kicked in and I thought, 'I've got to get out of this somehow.' 'I thought, I've seen Shark Week - I'll jab it in the eyeball. The shark actually had my right hand and I couldn't move it. In his Shark Week special, de Gelder shares his top tips for surviving a shark attack. Some are straightforward, like avoiding murky water or areas with fishing activity, but others might surprise you. One big myth he busts: don't punch a shark in the nose. 'Now, if you're in the jaws of the shark? At that point, you want to do all you can. In that case, I would go for the eyeballs, go for the gills, just fight for your life,' he says. 'But generally speaking, if you see a shark and it does approach you, you do not want to punch it in the nose.' There are two main reasons. First, a shark's head is made of thick cartilage, so punching it can hurt your hand, and bleeding in the water is a bad idea. Second, sharks are faster and more agile underwater than you. That punch could miss or even land your hand in its mouth, making it an easy meal. Now 47, de Gelder says he doesn't view himself as a victim, but a survivor, and he's dedicated his life to protecting sharks in the wild. 'I'm not retraumatised by any of this,' he insists. Shark Week begins Sunday 10 August at 7:30pm on Discovery (Foxtel, Fetch, Binge) and HBO Max. How To Survive a Shark Attack premieres Tuesday 12 August at 7:30pm. How to Survive a Shark Attack premieres Tuesday 12 August at 7.30pm.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘It was eating me': Paul de Gelder reflects on horror Sydney Harbour shark attack
It was another normal day on Sydney Harbour in 2009 when navy diver Paul de Gelder lost an arm, a leg – and very nearly his life. de Gelder was undertaking a navy counter-terrorism operation, swimming in murky waters near Woolloomooloo, when a bull shark grabbed hold of him in an attack that lasted just eight seconds but would give him permanently life-changing injuries. But de Gelder survived, and turned his near-death experience into a new career as a motivational speaker and shark expert, making him an ideal candidate to host the new TV special How to Survive A Shark Attack, streaming as part of Shark Week on HBO Max and Discovery from August 10. de Gelder goes full method for the special, strapping on prosthetic limbs packed with fake blood, then literally feeding them into wild sharks' mouths to recreate the frenzy of an attack, and explain what to do afterwards to better your chances of survival. It's intense viewing, but de Gelder bats away any suggestion that it might have been re-traumatising for him. 'I've lived a pretty tumultuous life, and I don't really look at the bad things that have happened to me as anchor points that I need to latch onto and spiral into depression or have PTSD or anything like that,' he tells 'I survived, I wasn't a victim, and I've cracked on with life. Now I get paid to travel the world, have adventures... and try not to nearly die again.' It seems he comes frighteningly close in How To Survive a Shark Attack, though: At one point in the special, as de Gelder holds onto an upturned kayak with hungry sharks circling underneath, we hear the voice of a producer ring out from a nearby boat: 'Paul, I just want to go on the record and say that I'm not comfortable with this.' de Gelder scoffs at the notion he should be taking safety advice from a TV hack. 'The producers, you have to understand, they're generally not particularly knowledgeable in working with sharks,' he says. 'They know what [shots] they want, and sometimes it's them who start to push the boundaries: I have to say 'Actually no, we're not going to do that, it's way too dangerous.' But to push a producer to the brink like that … yeah, we were doing something pretty wild,' he concedes. The special outlines de Gelder's top tips for shark attack survival – and while some are commonsense (don't swim in murky water or near fishing activity), others might surprise you. Contrary to popular belief, de Gelder advises against punching a shark on the nose if it comes toward you. 'Now, if you're in the jaws of the shark? At that point, you want to do all you can. In that case, I would go for the eyeballs, go for the gills, just fight for your life,' he says. 'But generally speaking, if you see a shark and it does approach you, you do not want to punch it in the nose.' The reasons are twofold: Firstly, sharks have 'incredibly thick cartilage' on their heads and you may seriously hurt your hand (introducing blood to the water is not ideal in this scenario). Secondly, and more importantly: Your skills at underwater punching will probably be outgunned by the shark's ability to manoeuvre in the water. Your planned Rocky-esque left hook might actually result in you delivering your hand into the mouth of a shark. It'd be the easiest meal they'd find all day. 'It's just not worth it. It's better to just be calm. I would say you always want to be swimming or diving in clear water, because that's the only time you're going to be able to defend yourself. In murky water, like my situation, you just don't see them coming.' Which begs the question: Does de Gelder think anything could have improved the outcome of his own near-fatal shark attack? Is there anything he thinks he should've done differently? 'There really wasn't anything I could do; no one saw the shark coming,' de Gelder says. 'It was eating me before everyone knew what was even happening.' de Gelder says it was the training he and his navy colleagues had received that saved his life: 'Having the focus to be able to swim back to the safety boat with one hand and one leg through a pool of my own blood, and then my three teammates in the boat jamming their T-shirts into the wound, strapping it with a life jacket to cinch it all down,' he says. By now I'm feeling slightly giddy, but de Gelder continues, in vivid detail: 'Then it was thanks to my chief on the wharf, knowing that it wasn't stopping the blood, so he got one of the guys to pinch an artery closed with their fingers. The surgeon said if he hadn't done that, I would have died within another 30 seconds.' It's time to ask a question on behalf of every other Sydney resident who's ever enjoyed a cooling dip in Sydney Harbour, famously teeming with the sort of aggressive bull sharks who did so much damage to him: Are we all complete idiots? 'No, I don't think so. In these scenarios, always look at the numbers. How many attacks have there been? There was a woman last year that got a little nibble. Other than that, I'm the only one in about 50 years. 'So you've got more chance of dying in a car accident on the way to the beach than you do of getting attacked by a shark anywhere in Australia,' he says. 'Now, having said that, it wouldn't be my first place to go swimming,' de Gelder confesses with a laugh. 'But you know, if it's hot and the water's inviting, I would say: Jump in, don't swim around too long... then get back on the boat.'
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
1408msletters4
Correct me if I'm wrong. The most common letter writers' names seem to be Margaret, John or Joan. Something about the average age? I'm waiting for a Zephyr, Serilda or Ixia. Margie Christowski, Roseville Fromage to eternity Making light of death by cheese might not be very mature, but I reckon it's the whey to go (Letters, August 12). Robert Hickey, Green Point Feathered fiends I haven't heard the koel's call but my two currawongs wake me at 5.30am for their breakfast, followed by two black crows, the butcher birds and the kookas and magpies later in the day. As for the lorikeets, they hardly ever leave, seduced by my sunny back garden. Coral Button, North Epping Awesome octogenarian My dishwasher has just turned 87. He has macular degeneration, so the quality of the wash is patchy. But he loudly warbles 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem!' as he works, makes me countless cups of tea and scrambled eggs on Saturdays and he is irreplaceable to our family. Robyn Cashman, Fernhill Quando, Q+A The watchability of Q+A was always inversely proportional to the number of politicians appearing on its panel ('The big question is: What next for Q+A, if not the end?', August 14). Edward Grieve, Woolloomooloo
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Don't miss out on Sydney's newest pop-up: The Hot Cinni Hotel
An iconic Sydney hotel has launched a sweet pop-up in celebration of all things hot cinnamon donuts. One of Australia's favourite brands, Donut King has teamed-up with Sydney's Ovolo Hotels to launch a limited-time takeover of two suites dubbed 'hot cinni hotel' in celebration of National Donut Day on June 6. Stepping through the pink door to the cinni suite I was met with the mouth watering aroma of cinnamon and transfixed by the decorum, giving a whole new meaning to 'sweet dreams'. The donut-inspired suite will satisfy just about any sweet tooth thanks to a number of perks on offer, including unlimited cinnamon donuts on-call, a spa kit, in-room couples massage, and a $150 food and beverage credit. Hungry for more? No worries! In addition to the unlimited free hot cinnamon donuts on call guests will be treated to specialty-cocktails 'Cinnitini' created by Ovolo Sydney's Mixologist. The generous-sized room that looked out to iconic Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf and was adorned with soft pink hues, plush bedding with the mood set with donut lamps. Australia's most iconic donut brand, Donut King, has teamed up with award-winning Ovolo Hotel to celebratre National Donut Day and its most popular product - the hot cinnamon donut Guests are treated to an array of ammenities The bathroom amenities included a lush bath bomb, pink bath beads, whipped body butter, a brown-sugar scrub and a sweet-smelling room spray. And it doesn't stop there, the unexpected duo, Donut King and Ovolo Hotels have also extended the hot cinnamon donut craze to other areas of the hotel for every guest to join in on the celebrations of the hot cinni donut over National Donut Day and all weekend long: The lobby area will be transformed with accents of pink and cinnamon lighting that pay homage to the iconic cinni donut but also to the distinctiveness of Ovolo Hotel's quirky and friendly hospitality. 'At Donut King, we are famously known as the home of the hot cinnamon donut because when it comes to our cinnamon donuts, we have the best, no question,' said Raquel Hine, Marketing Manager at Donut King. Ovolo Hotels is equally as excited about the partnership. 'We all have memories of family time spent with a Donut King signature cinnamon donut, and millions of Aussies have grown up sharing the experience which is why we set out to hero our number one product in all its glory every year on a huge industry day. Licky kicking back on the plush pink bedding The room is decked out in sweet pink hues Licky approved of tthe bathroom amenities included a lush bath bomb, pink bath beads, whipped body butter, a brown-sugar scrub and a sweet-smelling room spray Free cinnamon donuts are just a call away The pet-friendly suit offered allowed me to enjoy a staycation with my dog We couldn't be more thrilled to partner with Ovolo Hotels to create an unmissable and biggest donut experience yet for Australia. Ovolo Hotels is equally excited about the partnership. 'Partnering with Donut King to offer our guests an undeniably exhilarating and unexpected culinary experience during their stay, is a sweet deal.' said James Clark, General Manager at Ovolo Sydney. Bookable stays are only available for a limited time-period from Friday June 6 to Sunday June 9 and for the first five guests that book the stay. One night per guest, per stay. For more information and for the chance to book, booking link goes live on on May 29 at 9:00am AEST Lucy and Licky stayed at the Hot cinni hotel as guests of Donut King
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jono Castano goes public with reality star girlfriend Emily Ryder as they make red carpet debut at Bellevue Woolloomooloo launch - after split from Simone Holtznagel
Jono Castano has fallen for a glamorous influencer and he's ready for the world to know it. The 33-year-old celebrity trainer had the stunning Emily Ryder on his arm at the launch of Bellevue Woolloomooloo restaurant in Sydney on Wednesday night. The couple made their red carpet debut at the glitzy event, cuddling up for photos and packing on the PDA. Emily, 29, stunned in a semi sheer white top which she paired with a cream mini skirt which clung to her figure. The Love Triangle star carried a designer clutch in a soft off white tone and completed her look with heels that matched the purse. She added a chunky gold watch but otherwise skipped the accessories to let her outfit do the talking. Jono got the memo and chose complimentary tones of white in shirt and jeans, completing his look with sneakers. The trainer officially moved on from his fashion designer ex Nilofar Khirzad. Jono was last week was spotted enjoying a romantic night out with Emily at the Sydney Opera House. In a moody black-and-white clip filmed during their outing, the couple looked completely smitten as they paused on a grand staircase under dramatic lighting. In the footage, the fitness guru was seen planting a kiss on his girlfriend's lips as they posed for a cute photo together. The pair appear to share an intimate moment despite passing onlookers. The pair have reportedly been dating for several months and are taking things 'very slowly'. Sources close to the couple say Jono and Emily bonded over their shared passion for fitness and adventure, and are often seen working out together. Jono got the memo and chose complimentary tones of white in shirt and jeans, completing his look with sneakers While the couple have kept their relationship relatively low-key until now, insiders claim they are 'absolutely smitten' and looking forward to spending even more time together. Jono's new romance comes after he was previously linked to Perth-based fashion designer Nilofar Khirzad, following his high-profile split from Simone Holtznagel. Jono and Simone dated for almost two years after meeting through Sydney's social scene and share a daughter Gia, one, together. The trainer, who owns the Acero fitness brand, remains one of Australia's most in-demand celebrity trainers, having worked with the likes of Rebel Wilson, Rita Ora and Michael Clarke. Castano abruptly ended his relationship with designer Nilofar in January after less than six months of dating. 'They've been over for weeks,' an inside told Daily Mail Australia at the time. 'Their relationship just ran its course.' The genetically blessed couple have since unfollowed each other on Instagram. Emily meanwhile rose to fame on Stan's hit dating series Love Triangle, where she was initially matched with Sam Fisher. Jono and Simone (left) dated for almost two years after meeting through Sydney's social scene and share a daughter Gia, one, together Their relationship quickly soured after it was revealed that Sam had been secretly communicating with an ex-girlfriend named Hannah during filming, leading to a dramatic fallout on the show. Emily later spoke out about the betrayal, stating, 'The lies were so detailed, you couldn't even write this.
