A man died Saturday after being attacked by a shark while spearfishing off Australia's east coast, police said.

The 36-year-old was bitten on a leg in waters near the popular tourist destination Fraser Island, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of Brisbane.  A nurse and a doctor treated the man on shore before paramedics arrived, but he died from his injuries at the scene, police said.

Police did not identify the species of shark. It is the fourth known fatal shark attack in the country this year. "This (is) a tremendously sad day for our community," Fraser Coast mayor George Seymour said on Facebook. "Our deepest condolences go to this young man's family and friends."

Shark expert Daryl McPhee told the Courier Mail that Fraser Island was a "key spawning location for migratory fish" which attract sharks. "It's no surprise that there's an unprovoked shark bite there; it's perhaps more surprising that people are actually diving there," said McPhee, an associate professor of environmental science at Bond University.

Last month a 60-year-old surfer died after being mauled by a three-metre (nearly 10 feet) shark south of Brisbane. Australia has one of the world's highest incidences of shark attacks, but fatalities remain rare.