How surfer and 'all-round legend', 60, mauled to death by a monster great white just started 'living the dream' - as mates say he'd be 'angry' the shark killed him but wouldn't want it culled
- Gold Coast community in mourning after popular surfer was mauled to death
- Robin 'Rob' Pedretti, 60, attacked by great white shark south of the border
- The two surfers dragged him to shore have been hailed for their heroic actions
- Mr Pedretti's family remembered him as humble, fun loving and down to earth
- Do you know more? Email kylie.stevens@mailonline.com
A surfer mauled to death by a great white shark doing what he loved has been remembered by his grieving family as a fun loving, down to earth and 'all-round legend'.
Robin 'Rob' Pedretti, 60, was dragged to shore by two surfers at Salt Beach near Kingscliff in far northern NSW on Sunday after he was attacked on the thigh.
The retired tradie from the Gold Coast died from his injuries a short time later.
Mr Pedretti's mates gathered at his favourite surfing break at Tugan on Monday to mourn the 'gentle giant', where they insisted he wouldn't want the three metre predator to be culled.
His shattered family also broke their silence while paying tribute to the two heroic surfers who dragged him to shore and desperately tried to save his life.
Rob Pedretti's heartbroken family released this photo of the experienced surfer whose life was tragically cut short in a shark attack on Sunday
'Robin was such a humble, fun loving, down to earth and all around legend,' the family statement said.
'We will all miss him dearly, our family has suffered a terrible loss.
'To his good mate Frank and the (other) man who helped him back to shore, we truly appreciate your heroic and brave selfless act under the confronting circumstances.
'From the bottom of our hearts, we are forever grateful. We thank everyone for their support at such a difficult time.'
The family ended the statement with a request for privacy.
Originally from Geelong in Victoria, Mr Pedretti lived on the Gold Coast for 20 years and recently retired.
He travelled across the world chasing waves and was part of the local surfing community which has been left reeling from his sudden and tragic death.
The ocean was retired tile Rob Pedretti's second home where he surfed on a daily basis
As mates gathered at Tugan to remember Mr Pedretti, tributes were also laid at the beach south of the border where he spent his final moments.
'He was everyone's mate. He loved surfing and he loved life,' Craig Tulloch told reporters on Monday.
'Loved surfing, loved life. He was starting to enjoy life in retirement.'
Keith Parsons added: 'Great heart. So gentle. Just one of the gentle souls.'
His friends are adamant he wouldn't want the shark to be culled.
'No, not at all. He'd be angry with it though,' Mr Tulloch said.
'We're in the shark's waters,' 'You jump over a fence and there's a dog in the backyard wanting to attack you, then it's your choice isn't it?
They also paid tribute to their mate Frank and another surfer named Mark who risked their own lives to fight off the shark which circled them as they dragged a conscious Mr Pedretti back to shore.
Rob Pedretti (pictured) travelled the world chasing waves. He's pictured enjoying life in Indonesia, one of his favourite destinations
'Frank's still struggling as expected. But he's the hero in this story,' Mr Parsons said.
'Mark wasn't there - if it was just him and Robbo, - Frank wouldn't be here either.'
Mark was also shaken by the scary ordeal but said he was 'doing okay.'
'It was close,' he told Nine News on Sunday.
'It was a big shark, about 3.5 metres.'
Police plan to recognise the two surfers for their brave and heroic actions at a later date.
'The actions of the two surfers involved yesterday were extraordinary in the circumstances,' Detective Inspector Matt Kehoe said on Monday.
'They put themselves at great personal risk and it certainly warrants recognition.'
Well-known local surfing identity Nev Hyman expressed his shock over the fatal attack south of the border, initially unaware it was his good friend Mr Pedretti.
'He was one of the many people who lived and breathed surfing, we love it more than anything, apart from our loved ones,' Mr Hyman told the Gold Coast Bulletin.
'There is no rhyme or reason to it. Rob didn't do anything wrong and the shark didn't either.
Shark attack victim Rob Pedretti (pictured) has been remembered by the Gold Coast surfing community as a real gentleman who loved to chat
Friends who travelled the world with Mr Pedretti held a beachside vigil at one of his favourite breaks on the Gold Coast on Sunday afternoon.
'To think he got taken by a shark out of left field … I can't even get my head around it,' Brian Currie told Nine News.
Tim Buckley added: 'It's always someone you don't know (who gets attacked by a shark). When it does hit this close to home, it really affects you and the people who loved him and hung with him and his family.'
The Palm Beach Boardriders Facebook page was flooded with tributes, where he was remembered as a real gentleman who was always up for a chat.
'He was a nice bloke who had big chiny smile and never hurt a fly. So sad,' one man wrote.
Another added: 'He was one of the good ones.'
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Rob Pedretti (pictured) is the third fatal shark victim in Australia so far this year
A jet ski rider monitors the movements of a massive shark lurking close to shore near where a surfer was mauled to death near Kingscliff on Sunday morning
All beaches in the area between Kingscliff and Cabarita remain closed until at least Tuesday morning.
The three-metre great white shark remains at large after escaping a widespread police hunt following the fatal attack.
Helicopters, jet skies and drones scoured the ocean from the water and air to locate the shark responsible for the mauling.
Extraordinary footage shows jet skis and a police boat following the massive predator lurking close to shore before it vanished from the vicinity almost three hours after the fatal attack.
Police had been given authority to capture or kill the shark before it disappeared, which has since been revoked.
A police boat circled the massive predator before it vanished from the vicinity
Several surfers rushed to help the man fight the shark off before he was dragged to shore. Pictured are emergency service at the harrowing scene
'Under the Department of Primary Industry's shark Incident response protocols, permission may be granted to destroy the shark, if it is considered an ongoing threat to human life,' a NSW Police statement read.
'Due to concerns that the shark had to be fought off by other board-riders, and that it remained in the vicinity for several hours after the attack, police were granted permission to destroy the shark.
'Police and local rescue helicopter crews monitored the area for some hours; however, the shark left the vicinity about 1.15 pm and has not been seen since.'
No police firearm was discharged in the search.
Tributes in memory of shark attack victim Rob Pedretti were laid at Salt Beach on Monday
The 60-year-old man was surfing at Salt Beach near Kingscliff when his leg was bitten off by a three-metre shark (pictured) about 10.40am Sunday
It's the third fatal shark attack in Australia this year, following the death of Gary Johnson, 57, on Western Australia's south coast in January and Zachary Robba in Central Queensland in April.
It's five years since the last fatal shark attack in northern NSW when Tadashi Nakahara was killed while surfing at Ballina's Shelly Beach.
A memorial paddle-out will be held to celebrate Mr Pedretti's life at Tugun this weekend.
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