Months after surfers used a makeshift tourniquet during the Manly shark attack at North Steyne, Community Shark Bite Kits founder Danny Schouten has been named the 2027 Young Australian of the Year for NSW.
Mr Schouten received the award on 4 November 2026 for his work supplying beaches across Australia with emergency first aid equipment. The full-time teacher from Bonny Hills on the NSW Mid North Coast began developing the kits after witnessing the rescue of a friend who had been bitten by a shark.
A bystander had used a dog lead as a makeshift tourniquet during his friend’s rescue, prompting Mr Schouten to consider how emergency equipment could be made more accessible, particularly at beaches without regular patrols. His kits contain compression bandages, tourniquets, gloves and instructions for treating shark bites.
Emergency Response To The Manly Shark Attack
On 19 January 2026, Wollongong musician and surfer Andre de Ruyter suffered serious leg injuries after being bitten by a shark at North Steyne. Two nearby surfers helped the 27-year-old back to shore, where they used a surfboard leg rope as an improvised tourniquet to control bleeding.
Members of North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club were taking part in CPR training when the attack occurred. They rushed to assist Mr de Ruyter with emergency medical supplies and a defibrillator as medically trained bystanders joined the rescue. Mr de Ruyter had gone into cardiac arrest and was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition. His family reported on 22 January that he was in a stable condition.
There is no confirmation that one of Mr Schouten’s kits was used at North Steyne. However, a Community Shark Bite Kit was used during a separate emergency at Coogee Beach in June, when swimmer Leah Stewart survived a shark attack.
Emergency Equipment Outside Patrol Hours
On 28 April 2026, Surf Life Saving NSW announced a separate initiative to install publicly accessible shark bite trauma kits at its 129 surf clubs. The equipment was to be mounted on the outside of club buildings so that first aid supplies could be accessed when lifesavers and lifeguards were not on duty. Installation of a publicly accessible kit at North Steyne remains unconfirmed.
A separate expansion of shark surveillance was announced by the NSW Government in June, with additional drone monitoring planned along the coast. Mr Schouten will represent NSW at the national Australian of the Year awards in Canberra on 25 January 2027.
Published 6-November-2026
