Middleton Beach shark net removed as City of Albany search for replacement

Swimmers enjoyed the final moments of the Middleton Beach shark net on Thursday before it was removed to make way for a new enclosure, expected to cost up to $400,000.

A team of divers worked for hours to unpick the net from the sea floor before it was pulled to shore using an excavator.

Ellen Cove is now without an enclosure for the first time in four years, after it was installed to provide a safe swimming spot for locals and tourists.

In May, City of Albany mayor Dennis Wellington announced the net would be removed because of its rapidly deteriorating state.

At that time, funding for a replacement or other shark mitigation measures had not been secured.

But Premier Mark McGowan threw his support behind the enclosure on a visit to Albany earlier this month, pledging up to $200,000 for its replacement on a dollar-for-dollar basis with the City.

The previous shark net was installed in 2016 for a three-year trial at a cost of $340,000, of which the State Government contributed $200,000.

“It gives people comfort, it gives people peace of mind and it ensures that you can swim safely,” Mr McGowan said.

Mr Wellington said the new swimming enclosure would need to last a minimum of five years.

The City of Albany will go out to tender for a replacement shark barrier with a new enclosure expected to be in the water before summer.