BRISBANE (AFP) - A man died after being attacked by a shark off a stretch of Australian coast famous for its surfing on Tuesday (Sept 8).

Rescuers told media they came to the surfer's aid after he was spotted floating face down at Greenmount Beach on the Gold Coast, but paramedics were unable to save the man.

"Paramedics assessed the male patient for critical injuries and unfortunately, the gentleman had succumbed to those injuries," a Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said.

It is the first fatal shark attack on the Gold Coast in decades, according to local media.

Footage showed the man being rushed away, his surfboard spotted later with a large bite mark.

An individual who helped pull the surfer ashore told Seven News there was big part of the man's left leg missing.

Shark sightings are rare in the area, he added, with shark preventions like bait hooks and nets installed along the coast for decades.

The beach on the Queensland coast is surrounded by popular surf breaks, making the area a major tourist destination.

This would be the seventh fatal shark attack in Australian waters this year, according to Australian Shark Attack File maintained by Taronga Conservation Society Australia.