A champion Newcastle bodyboarder and bar manager was on a pre-Christmas trip with colleagues when he was stabbed multiple times while fishing on a beach near Forster.
Ryan Duck remained in hospital with stab wounds to his arms and abdomen on Tuesday.
The Newcastle Herald understands the 35-year-old spent six hours in surgery at John Hunter Hospital before being moved into recovery on Tuesday morning.
Mr Duck, bar manager at Bartholomew's (formerly known as Babylon), was on a camping trip at Pacific Palms with several co-workers when he was allegedly attacked on the beach.
Phil Elsley, co-owner of Bartholomew's, told the Newcastle Herald no-one else was injured but Mr Duck's colleagues were "shaken up".
Mr Elsley spoke with Mr Duck on Tuesday afternoon and said the surgery on his wounds had gone well.
Emergency crews were called to a holiday park on the Lakes Way at Pacific Palms just after midnight, on Tuesday morning, after reports of the alleged stabbing.
They arrested Billy Jo James Brown, 35, at a war memorial on the Lakes Way - about 5km from Tuncurry - at 6am on Tuesday.
Mr Brown was due to face Taree Local Court later in the morning, however the matter was adjourned after the court heard that the accused had hurt his head while in custody at Forster Police Station.
He was taken to hospital under police guard and remains in custody.
The matter will be mentioned in court again on Wednesday.
