Shark Bay was the former name of Safety Beach. The scent from cattle farms nestled in the area attracted many sharks to the site. Mornington Peninsula Shire later changed the name to "Safety Beach". Many tourists feared swimming in ‘Shark Bay’ for obvious reasons even after the farms were shut down and shark sightings had decreased which now as we know it is named Safety Beach, an attempt to draw tourists to the area, and it worked. Now there are over 100 beach/bathing boxes located on the beach, accommodating thousands of tourists a year.