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A New Zealander who was killed by a shark while surfing in Australia owned a shark deterrent device but decided not to use it on the day he was killed, a coroner has heard.

Steven Payne, 37, died after being  at Wharton Beach in Western Australia in March. His body has not been recovered.

His partner Catherine Birch witnessed the incident from the shore and his final moments were captured in drone footage which helped police conclude he could not have survived the attack.

A coronial inquest in Western Australia was told Payne went into the water with two other surfers around 10.15am on March 10 while Birch relaxed on the shore with their dog Poppy, the Daily Mail reported.

After about 90 minutes, she saw a commotion and walked to the water’s edge.

“Catherine then realised that the commotion was where she had last seen Steven and the victim of the attack was wearing the same distinctive sun hat that he wore,” Acting Sergeant Craig Robertson said.

“From what she witnessed, Catherine immediately knew that Steven was dead.”

His fellow surfers were unable to help him because they were on nearby rocks and the shore. Payne was pulled down into the water and never resurfaced. He was in chest-deep water around 50 metres from shore when the shark attacked.

The Daily Mail reported that investigators who assessed the drone footage said: “the images show Steven sustaining injuries and blood loss which are incompatible with life”.

DNA testing of his surfboard, which had bite marks, found a match with a great white. It was estimated to be between 3.2 and 3.5 metres long.

The coroner heard that Payne owned a shark deterrent device but did not wear it as he thought it would not be needed once he left South Australia.

Some surfers or divers use the wearable devices, which usually emit an electrical pulse, to drive sharks away.

Payne had decided against surfing at a South Australia beach in January after being told of a fatal attack at the beach, Australian media reported.

Australian media also reported that Payne had decided against surfing at a South Australian beach two months earlier after locals had mentioned a fatal shark attack at the site.

Payne was born in New Zealand but lived in Geelong, , with Birch, his partner of 12 years. They were five weeks into a six-month caravan holiday when he died, his family said in a statement in March.

“Steven Payne was a beloved partner, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend.

“Just a week ago Steve surfed one of the best waves of his life, sharing the wave with a dolphin. He was stoked.”

They added: ““He and his partner spent a lot of time in the ocean together, had enjoyed many dives with sharks, and knew the risks.

“Steve was one of the best. A gentle giant … he was smart, kind, funny, laid back and very practical."

His family said he knew the risks of being in the ocean and would not have supported a shark cull.