In an innovative move to curb shark attacks, more than 300 sharks in Australia have been tagged with transmitters so that an automatic tweet warning is sent when they are dangerously close to the shore.

The unique project in Western Australia means beach goers can make an informed decision about whether to go in the water knowing a shark is nearby.

Around 320 sharks, including great whites, have been attached transmitters to monitor their movements up and down the coast, 'Sky News' reported.

When a tagged shark swims within about a kilometre of a beach, it triggers an alert which is picked up by computer.

The computer then instantly turns the shark's signal into a short message on Surf Life Saving Western Australia's (SLSWA) Twitter feed.

The tweet provides the information about the size and breed of the shark, and its approximate location.

According to the report, Western Australia is the world's deadliest place for shark attacks.

Surfer Chris Boyd, 35, was killed last month and was the sixth person to die in the region in just two years.

State authorities have patrolled beaches using helicopters and boats for years, but the recent spate of attacks has prompted the them to look at new ways of trying to prevent attacks.