Thirteen-year-old Raymond Short likely didn't forget his weekend trip to Coledale in 1966.
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In February of that year, Short and his family travelled from their home in Hurstville to stay in a caravan park near Coledale Beach.
On Sunday, February 27, Short was swimming in chest-deep water at the beach when a lifesaver in the water saw what he thought was a piece of seaweed drifting towards the boy.
But then Short let out a cry - it wasn't a piece of floating seaweed but a shark and it had sunk its teeth into his left leg.
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Short turned to make his way back to shore, only to have the shark then bite his right leg and refuse to let go.
Lifesavers rushed into the water to help, along with nearby surfer Ray Robinson.
With the water turning red, Short was crying out, "it's still got me! Get him off!".
His rescuers assured him the shark was gone; but then Robinson reached under the surface of the water and felt the animal's snout.
His rescuers dragged Short from the water with several lifesavers having to pick up and carry the shark - still latched onto his leg - as well.
Someone picked up a surfboard and started bashing the shark on the head, but it wouldn't let go.
So one of the lifesavers left the beach to go home and collect a rifle. While he was gone, a few more clouts to the head saw the shark finally release its grip.
Short was loaded into a station wagon, both legs badly torn and lacerations to his hands, and drove him the short distance to Coledale Hospital.
There he underwent a two-hour surgery, with doctors fearing Short's right leg might need to be amputated.
Short was lucky - he managed to keep his leg.
He was lucky in another way too. Marine biologists investigating the attack said his life was saved by the fact the white pointer was wounded and not in the best of health.
"This type of shark is renowned for its ferocity, and the lad is lucky to be alive," District Fisheries inspector Mr Owen told the Mercury at the time.
"If the shark had been in good condition, the lad would have been killed instantly.
The marine biologists were interested in the attack because it was the first time in the world a victim was brought to shore with the shark still gripping him.
In May Short was able to leave Coledale Hospital but, before he left, the teen presented the jaws of the shark to the Coledale Surf Club.
The attack hadn't turned him off the beach; Short had planned to swim again.
"Why not? It would have to be a million to one chance of a shark attacking me again," he said. "I will swim at Coledale too, but at first I will swim in the pools."
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