Was walking my gear back along the shallows of Rye Beach on Sunday and came across this fella snaking his way across the sand:
hey KDog
It looks like a banjo shark, I think there harmless but best to leave them alone.
Kind Regards
Walt
Hey Walt, yep, I didn't want to annoy it, just took a quick video, he didn't notice me too much.... but nice to see some sea life.
Yep - think you are right - Banjo Shark. Googled em, looks the same. Apparently a bit of ray and a bit of shark..... completely harmless.
Very common .. no threat doses not have a poisonous dorsal fin that you can step on mate... "food slut of the ocean" harmless"m It is a foodslut
of shark
Wobbegong Shark
Wobbegong Shark belongs to the family of Orectolobidae family and the category of those few sharks which live at the bottom of the ocean. They are commonly known as the "Carpet shark". It has a mouth, which is situated below its body and has two dorsal fins and a caudal fin. Also it has small pointed teeth. They are found in Western Pacific Ocean and Eastern Indian Ocean around Indonesia and Australia. These species have an average length of 1.25 meters, but the spotted wobbegong can grow up to 3.2 meters. They feed on small fish and they have small sharp teeth to catch their prey. Their skin is often used to make leather. Genus Eucrossorhinus, Genus Orectolobus and Genus Sutorectus include eleven species. These Wobbegong shark is large in size so they are not commonly kept in the aquarium but there are some aquarists who keep these sharks successfully. The smaller size of these species such as tasseled wobbegong and Ward�s wobbegong can be ke
Agreed K dog. Definately a Banjo shark. Me and my Pop pulled up one of those in Western Port Bay 25 years ago. Might be the same one 
or other wise it's a Shark Ray
food slut fish when you have cray pots out. no harm not poisonous. shoe it away and it will still follow. Its not worth spear gunning its Harmless fish poses no threat. Probably a few steaks in the tail if cut with a sharp knife or band saw after skinning... prognosis. .. harmless.... If you catch one let it go. poses no threat to water users. catch and let go.
Its a shame but.....
Interaction with humans
Although wobbegongs do not eat humans, humans frequently eat wobbegongs; the flesh of a wobbegong or other shark is called flake and it is often used in fish and chips in Australia.
Wobbegong skin is also used to make leather.
The picture at the top is not a Wobbegong - definitely a Banjo. Big difference between the two.
Wobbegongs have small sharp teeth where as Banjos are just like a ray and crush crabs etc in jaws.
Wobbegongs have bitten people before (definitely not a killer though) where as I have never heard of a Banjo attacking anyone. Not sure it would even be possible given the shape and location of its mouth.
^^+1
Have handled Banjo sharks before and they are completely harmless but if you step on Busters wobbegong you will know about it. They can twist around to bite their own tails and while their bites are not going to be life threatening, you'll have a bit of a wrestle just getting them to let go of your foot
And the Port J shark
www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/shark-attack-shock-just-a-case-of-fish-n-nips-20111020-1m8oe.html
our Port Jackson over here is protected but it is more bulkie body without the "wings" it has a poisonous dorsal fin
Same sort of subspecies. The markings are different I googlies banjo shark/ etc but the pictures are more predominantly stingray.
Have to be a shark for sure.
Post it in the shooting the breeze boaties will know this one.
It's a Banjo and the Port Jackson is not a protected species in WA, nor do the dorsal spikes deliver a toxin. Highly likely to become infected if you don't clean the wound out properly though.
