Young surfer Cooper Allen's mauling from a great white shark last September was the final straw for the NSW government, which bowed to local community concerns – and media hysteria – and dumped its opposition to shark nets and drum lines on the state's northern beaches.

As the six-month trial of the five nets introduced along the beach near Ballina draws towards a close, Mr Allen is back in the surf but doubtful the mesh – 150 metres wide by six metres deep – has reduced board-riding risks.

"I don't really know if they are doing anything or not," he says. "Definitely, some people have gained some confidence with the nets."

Locals say that confidence has had tangible benefits, with retail and hotel trade recovering strongly to possibly record levels during the long, hot season when almost all of the NSW coast notched its hottest summer on record. (See Bureau of Meteorology chart below.)