Ryan Hunt, a 20-year-old from nearby Old Bar, was surfing small waves at the beach about 6pm when the shark attacked.

Initially it is understood the shark grabbed at his foot, but the experienced surfer shook it off before it then charged again at his leg. 

On his Instagram account at 6am on Thursday, Mr Hunt wrote" "I will be in theatre this morning to see the full extend of the injury."

After receiving first aid on the beach, Mr Hunt was then taken to Manning Hospital and it is understood he was admitted for further treatment.

He is an experienced surfer who recently returned from competing in Japan. 

A friend who spoke to Mr Hunt soon after the incident said he was in good spirits and fortunate the shark didn’t do further damage.

Earlier this month Bunbury man Sean Pollard suffered devastating injuries when a shark attacked him near Esperance.

Only a matter of weeks before that, and further north on the NSW east coast than Wednesday's incident, British expat Paul Wilcox was killed by a shark at Byron Bay's Clarkes Beach.

Source: Manning River Times