A shark attack has taken place off Yeppoon in central Queensland

The 30-year-old suffered severe wounds to his arms and legs in the attack while swimming in the sea off the coast of northeast Australia today.

EMERGENCY services are now attending to what is understood to be a shark attack near Yeppoon.

The attack took place shortly before lunchtime in waters off Rosslyn Bay, a resort in Queensland state popular with tourists visiting southern parts of the Great Barrier Reef.

'The shark came at him head on, ' ambulance officer Brad Miers told ABC after the man had been taken to shore and then driven to Rockhampton Base Hospital.

He said the spearfisherman had lost a lot of blood and was in surgery at Rockhampton Hospital late on Saturday afternoon.

There were 22 shark attacks in Australian waters previous year, one of them fatal, according to data compiled by the Taronga Conservation Society.

"It just so happened that the coast guard was in very close proximity".

Coast guard deputy flotilla commander Paul Florian said the man was helped back into his boat by friends.