Mako

South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) environment and ecology program research scientist Paul Rogers said mako sharks were known to travel vast distances and several tagged as part of the current program had followed the same route.

"He is the fourth shark that has been up there in the past five years," he said.

"It is a fairly consistent pattern we are starting to detect with this species. It does tend to happen in late winter, but there have been sharks that have broken that pattern."

Mr Rogers said Morry weighed about 80kg when tagged and is believed to be aged between eight and 10 years old.

While the reason for their passage north was not yet known, the sharks were following a consistent pathway along the slope of the Continental Shelf until they were off Cape Leeuwin, the most southerly point of WA.

They then ventured into ocean waters, possibly visiting sea mountains and mid-ocean ridges to navigate and locate food.

Another mako tagged off Port MacDonnell in May 2009 swam 24,700km before its tag stopped transmitting in November 2010.