A Sydney woman is "lucky" to be alive after she was bitten by a great white shark in Botany Bay.
The 55-year-old swimmer survived the first confirmed shark attack in Botany Bay in 25 years, and is recovering at St George Hospital.
The Hurstville local was doing breaststroke laps at Little Congwong Beach about 7pm on Friday when she was mauled by the juvenile shark, which experts believed measured between 2.7 and 3.2 metres long.
Randwick City Council says she was assisted about 20 metres to shore where paramedics treated "serious wounds" on her leg, but she is now in a stable condition.
Mayor Lindsay Shurey says the woman underwent surgery on Saturday morning for a "very large bite" below her right knee.
"I think she's very lucky to still have her leg... and to survive," Shurey said.
"She was swimming at dusk, which is never really recommended."
Locals are "shocked and concerned" about the first confirmed shark attack in the area in at least a quarter of a century, Ms Shurey said.
"I've lived in this area for 35 years and we have no knowledge of anything like this before," she said.
Lifeguards have since closed the La Perouse beach, along with the surrounding Congwong, Frenchmans and Yarra beaches, for at least 24 hours.
"Council Lifeguards will be stationed at the usually unpatrolled beaches on Saturday to advise swimmers not to swim," she said.
There are no shark nets currently in the area, which usually only has smaller sharks including grey nurses and wobbegongs.
But Ms Shurey says Randwick Council will take advice on whether they needed to be installed.
A Department of Primary Industries shark biologist examined photographs of the woman's injuries.
"I would be surprised if she had any severe damage," Dr Vic Peddemors said.
"There have been no shark bites in that area for an extremely long period. This is an unusual event."
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