When Justine Barwick went for a swim off her yacht in Queensland’s iconic Whitsundays region last year, she had no idea her life would change in minutes.

She was bitten by a shark just as she dived under water in Cid Harbour.

A dramatic twilight helicopter rescue ferried the unconscious woman to Mackay hospital where surgeons managed against all odds to save her life and her leg. Her attack became the first of three in a matter of weeks in the Whitsundays.

Five attacks since September last year have ignited a heated conversation about shark control in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park area. In the midst of the debate, Justine Barwick remains resolute about maintaining a positive attitude about her recovery and the Whitsundays.

Read more: https://ab.co/2scEvDK

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Putting the "real" back into reality television, Australian Story is an award-winning documentary series with no narrator and no agendas — just authentic stories told entirely in people's own words. Take 30 minutes to immerse yourself in the life of an extraordinary Australian. They're sometimes high profile, sometimes controversial, but always compelling. It’s television guaranteed to make you think and feel. New episodes are available every Monday.