Shark swims close to the shoreline at Yarra Bay in Sydney on Easter Sunday

Swimmers enjoying a dip at a popular Sydney beach on Easter Sunday were forced to rush from the water when a shark started circling just a metre from the shoreline.

The two-metre shark was spotted in foot-deep water at Yarra Bay in the eastern suburbs on Sunday.

About 50 stunned beachgoers lined the sand to catch a glimpse of the shark, who appeared unfazed by the commotion it had caused.

Swimmers enjoying a dip at a popular Sydney beach on Easter Sunday were forced to rush from the water when a shark started circling just a metre from the shoreline

A woman on a boat took footage of the close encounter, while onlookers screamed in excitement

A woman on a boat took footage of the close encounter, while onlookers screamed in excitement. 

The shark circled her boat for about a minute before eventually making its way back out into the ocean. 

Researchers say sharks prefer warmer waters and will gravitate toward the shore if the temperatures are higher there. 

The sighting comes just a week after a spear fisherman was bitten by a shark near Coral Bay, 1,200 kilometres north of Perth.

The man, in his 20s, suffered a 5 to 8cm wound to his calf when he was attacked by a whaler or bull shark about 500 to 1000 metres offshore, south of Warroora Station. 

Witness Nick Hardie was fishing nearby when he saw the victim and his partner hurling his way, The West Australian reported.

‘We saw this white boat come rushing up to us and we were a bit confused,’ Mr Hardie said.

‘We saw that a guy was sitting in the floor of the boat and there was blood all over the boat.’

Researchers say sharks prefer warmer waters, so they’ll gravitate toward the shore if the temperatures are higher there. Pictured: an aerial view of the shark at Yarra Bay