Two teens injured after shark attack at popular beach near Geelong

Two teenage girls have been rushed to hospital after they were attacked by a shark at a popular beach.

Emergency services were called Ocean Grove near Geelong on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula shortly after 7pm Monday night.

Bystanders and off-duty lifeguards paddled out to rescue the injured girls and brought them to shore with emergency crews on the scene within five minuets.

The ‘shocked’ teens were treated at the scene and taken to Geelong Hospital, where they are reported to be in a stable condition.

Local Salvation Army captain Peter Hobbs and his wife, a former trauma emergency nurse were among the bystanders who rushed to the girls’ aid.

‘Tonight we went for a leisurely paddle at Ocean Grove beach and while we were in the water a couple of teenagers near us got attacked by a shark,’ Mr Hobbs posted on Facebook.

‘We could see them splashing but didn’t know what was happening. We didn’t see the shark, just the splash, but we heard the cries and our family mobilised.’

‘The teens were obviously shocked but taken to hospital.’

The beach, which was unpatrolled at the time has since been closed until further notice.

VicEmergency issued a warning just after 8pm, urging locals to stay out of the water.

‘A shark incident has been reported at Ocean Grove at 7:20pm today,’ the post read.

‘The shark has been sighted close to shore – within 500m of the beach.’

Authorities also urge swimmers to always swim, dive or surf with a friend, not swim in places where human or animal waste enters the water and steer clear of large schools of fish, seals or other which can attract sharks.

Ocean Grove Beach (pictured) on the Bellarine Peninsula has been closed until further notice