The grief-stricken father of 17-year-old Charlize Zmuda, who was killed in a shark attack on Monday, says he is "gutted" by the tragedy, but doesn't want the community to stop coming to "our beach".
Emergency services were called to Woorim Beach at Bribie Island, north of Brisbane, just before 5pm on Monday.
Ms Zmuda was swimming at an unpatrolled section of the popular surfing and fishing spot when she sustained fatal injuries to her upper body.
Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Zmuda's father Steve said their family did not want people to stop coming to the beach because of her death.
"When I got the tragic news yesterday, I was extremely gutted, but something that my wife and I want to say is we don't want people to stop coming to the beach and enjoying our beach," he said.
"It's a big part of our lives."
Ms Zmuda started as a Bribie Island nipper from the age of eight, was vice captain of her patrol, and competed with the IRB team in the Lifesaving World Championships, her family said.
Mr Zmuda said along with her surf lifesaving skills, his daughter was "so musically gifted".
"She could hear a piece of music and then pick up and play it at the drop of a heartbeat," he said.
"To have talent taken away right now ... that kills me.
In an earlier statement, family member Renee Zmuda said they wanted the community to focus on the "incredible life she lived and not the awful way she died".
"Charlize was loved by many and was such a shining light who truly touched the lives of everyone she met," the statement said.
"She loved the beach and it truly was her happiest place on Earth."
'Shocking and confronting'
CEO of Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) Dave Whimpey said Ms Zmuda was a was a highly skilled lifesaver who spent her time "looking after Queenslanders".
"She was an age manager, so she had a group of young kids that she looked after every weekend," he said.
He said the incident has had an impact on lifesavers across the nation, describing her death as "shocking and confronting".
"These incidents do happen, they're quite rare ... a young girl that had everything to live for doing what she loved," he said.
Community rocked by tragedy
Floral tributes were laid and a memorial service was held at the beach on the island's eastern coast early on Tuesday.
Local swimmer Jenny O'Connor was part of a group that gathered to lay flowers in the ocean and pay their respects to the young victim.
Ms O'Connor said the teenager died "doing what she loved".
"We just wanted to honour her, we said some remembrances and a prayer," she said.
"I know that she loved being a part of this community and this beautiful island that we live in."
Local man Ivor Whitefield said the Bribie Island community had been rocked by the tragedy.
"Well, we're pretty shocked, the whole community is shocked,” Mr Whitefield said.
Third shark attack in Queensland in less than three months
Surf Life Saving Queensland said Woorim Beach would remain closed until further notice.
The destination is a popular spot for swimming, surfing and fishing amongst locals and tourists.
Unlike the calm and protected western side of Bribie Island, the eastern coast is an open beach.
Local Christopher Potter said he came down to the beach just after it happened.
"There are a lot of swimming groups that swim along here, morning and afternoon," he said.
"It's known there are a lot of sharks around Bribie, but this close to shore, it's still a shock."
Drumlines, which are used to catch sharks using bait and large hooks, are used at Woorim Beach.
It is the third shark attack in Queensland in less than three months, and the second fatal attack in just over a month.
In December, 40-year-old Luke Walford was killed while spearfishing in the Southern Great Barrier Reef near Humpy Island.
Earlier that month, a man was hospitalised after being attacked by a shark while spearfishing off Curtis Island, near Gladstone.
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