The devastating circumstances of a great white shark attack on a surfer who was fatally mauled in front of his girlfriend at an Esperance beach have been revealed for the first time.

Melbourne man Steven Payne, 37, was on the trip of a lifetime caravanning around WA with his partner Catherine Birch and dog Poppy when he was fatally attacked at Wharton Beach, 93km east of Esperance, on March 10.

Mr Payne’s body was never found, sparking a mandatory coronial inquest into his death.

The inquest was told Mr Payne had been in remission for testicular cancer for three years when he died.

Mr Payne owned a shark deterrent device but he was not wearing it on the day, because, tragically, he thought it was not needed after leaving South Australia.

And just days before the attack, Mr Payne and h

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