Simon Treweek, of Hobart, received a gash under the left side of his rib cage and wounded his stomach after he wiped out on a wave and was pushed into the rocks by the wave that followed.

Surf photographer and onlooker Nigel Eberhardt said Treweek swam ashore and did not realise his injuries until he removed the top part of his wetsuit where he was bleeding heavily.

A passerby nurse was bushwalking in the area and was able to dress the wound.

Treweek struggled to take the almost two-hour long walk from the beach through bushland so a rescue helicopter was called to take him to the hospital.

The schoolteacher was at Shipstern's Bluff making a documentary on the well- known huge surf break.