This was the "nerve-wracking" moment a four-metre-long great white shark circled a fisherman's boat in Australia's Byron Bay.

Drone footage and video filmed onboard the boat filmed by Aidan Kennedy from Evans Head, New South Wales on August 17 shows the moment the larger than average great white swims closely to the boat, even nudging it with its snout.

“It circled probably 10 to 12 times and disappeared, it was nerve-wracking but also really cool!” Kennedy told Newsflare.

“It was 9:30 in the morning and we were alone at the time, the shark nudged the boat once then did laps around us," he added.