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Sydney Morning Herald
21-07-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
Noosa reptile sighting might be a croc, but I've been up close with the real thing
On the weekend, the good citizens of the Sunshine Coast woke to the alarming news that a 3.5m crocodile had been spotted – twice – at the Noosa Spit dog beach. 'At first I thought it was a bit of driftwood, but then it moved,' said local Ross Buckley, who was taking a sunrise stroll on Sunday morning. 'I quickly put the dog on the lead and kept my distance. Not sure what's going on with wildlife lately but this gave me a real fright.' A few hours later, there was another sighting, this time by boatie James Graham, whose photo of his underwater 'fish finder' showed a crocodile-shaped image. 'Tell me that's not a croc – it's got the tail, it's got the snout,' he exclaimed. 'That's bizarre.' Naturally, there was little reaction from the authorities, who are presumably looking for cane toads. A statement from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation said, 'we are … investigating the matter further.' 'The Boyne River near Gladstone, some 300 kilometres to the north, is commonly considered the southern boundary of typical crocodile habitat.' The people of Noosa need to calm down. I grew up on an agricultural college in Papua New Guinea. In the 1960s, Fitzcarraldo -style, my father carved out a new community in the rainforest 50 kilometres outside Rabaul on the island of New Britain. But instead of building an opera house, he created a teaching farm; we had cattle, horses, pigs, about 50,000 species of insect and spiders so large they ate birds. We also had crocodiles – the place was overrun with them, but no-one seemed to pay them much attention. My sisters and I would be taken to the beach for a swim with vague instructions about 'getting out of the water' at dusk because of the crocs. Our mother would then go back to reading The Feminine Mystique on the sand, untroubled by the possibility that she could go home with one fewer children than when she arrived. One day my father announced with great fanfare that he was going to breed crocodiles. Did he not realise that he could simply drive to the beach, grab one by the tail and bring it back? But no; special equipment was purchased, eggs were harvested and placed inside an incubation chamber and we were taken to see the baby crocodiles hatch, the tiny horn on the top of their heads used to break open the shell.
The Age
21-07-2025
- General
- The Age
Noosa reptile sighting might be a croc, but I've been up close with the real thing
On the weekend, the good citizens of the Sunshine Coast woke to the alarming news that a 3.5m crocodile had been spotted – twice – at the Noosa Spit dog beach. 'At first I thought it was a bit of driftwood, but then it moved,' said local Ross Buckley, who was taking a sunrise stroll on Sunday morning. 'I quickly put the dog on the lead and kept my distance. Not sure what's going on with wildlife lately but this gave me a real fright.' A few hours later, there was another sighting, this time by boatie James Graham, whose photo of his underwater 'fish finder' showed a crocodile-shaped image. 'Tell me that's not a croc – it's got the tail, it's got the snout,' he exclaimed. 'That's bizarre.' Naturally, there was little reaction from the authorities, who are presumably looking for cane toads. A statement from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation said, 'we are … investigating the matter further.' 'The Boyne River near Gladstone, some 300 kilometres to the north, is commonly considered the southern boundary of typical crocodile habitat.' The people of Noosa need to calm down. I grew up on an agricultural college in Papua New Guinea. In the 1960s, Fitzcarraldo -style, my father carved out a new community in the rainforest 50 kilometres outside Rabaul on the island of New Britain. But instead of building an opera house, he created a teaching farm; we had cattle, horses, pigs, about 50,000 species of insect and spiders so large they ate birds. We also had crocodiles – the place was overrun with them, but no-one seemed to pay them much attention. My sisters and I would be taken to the beach for a swim with vague instructions about 'getting out of the water' at dusk because of the crocs. Our mother would then go back to reading The Feminine Mystique on the sand, untroubled by the possibility that she could go home with one fewer children than when she arrived. One day my father announced with great fanfare that he was going to breed crocodiles. Did he not realise that he could simply drive to the beach, grab one by the tail and bring it back? But no; special equipment was purchased, eggs were harvested and placed inside an incubation chamber and we were taken to see the baby crocodiles hatch, the tiny horn on the top of their heads used to break open the shell.
Sky News AU
17-07-2025
- Sky News AU
Authorities investigating shocking dingo death on K'gari after vehicle strike and deliberate mutilation discovered
An investigation is underway after a gruesome discovery was made on K'gari, with a protected dingo found dead and decapitated near a popular stretch of beach on the world heritage-listed island. The animal was located by park rangers on June 1 at Ngkala Rocks, a remote area on the island's eastern coast north of Waddy Point. An independent veterinary assessment later confirmed the dingo had died after being hit by a vehicle and was then deliberately decapitated. Officials from Queensland's Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) have launched an appeal for public help, asking anyone who may have visited the Orchid Beach and Waddy Point region or who may have dashcam footage between late May and early June to come forward. The incident marks the latest in a string of troubling events involving dingoes on K'gari, formerly known as Fraser Island. In May, a separate dingo was stabbed and later euthanised after it was involved in an attack on a child. The Queensland Ambulance Service said the child was bitten on his underarm but left with no serious injuries. The dingo was stabbed in the neck by a man who was attempting to help the child. The man in question was not charged. In the same location in early May, a dingo swam into knee-deep water and bit a fisherman on his leg, while three women were attacked when they were on a tour in April. Rangers are now calling on drivers to slow down and remain vigilant, particularly along beach access areas, as a number of dingoes have reportedly been struck and killed by vehicles in recent weeks. Dingoes are listed as a protected species under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act 1992, with strict laws in place to safeguard their welfare. The penalties for harming a dingo including wilful killing or removing body parts from the island are severe, carrying fines of up to $483,900 or two years behind bars. Rangers say they are committed to protecting the island's unique wildlife and are treating the latest case as an act of serious concern.
7NEWS
16-07-2025
- 7NEWS
Investigation into protected dingo found deliberately decapitated on K'gari, Queensland
Authorities are investigating the deliberate decapitation of a protected native animal on a popular tourist island in Queensland. Park rangers on the world heritage-listed K'gari Island found a dead dingo at Ngkala Rocks on the eastern side of the island, north of Waddy Point, on June 1. The dingo was believed to have been hit and killed by a car. Alarmingly, however, the rangers discovered the protected animal had also been deliberately decapitated. An independent veterinary examination confirmed the ranger's findings, with the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) now investigating the dingo's death. 'Anyone who was visiting the Orchid Beach and Waddy Point area north to Ngkala Rocks in late May or early June or has dashcam footage is urged to contact DETSI,' a spokesperson said. Dingoes are protected in Queensland National Parks as a native species under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. The maximum penalty if convicted of wilfully killing a protected animal on K'gari is $483,900 or two years imprisonment. The same penalty applies to the taking of parts of a deceased protected animal from K'gari. Rangers on K'gari have also asked people to drive cautiously on the beach following recent deaths of dingoes due to suspected vehicle strikes.
The Advertiser
14-07-2025
- The Advertiser
Fires, dogs, guns, dirt bikes: illegal hut in national park lands hefty fines
Thousands of dollars in fines have been laid against a group of would-be outdoorsmen who allegedly cleared trees in an Australian national park to build an illegal hut. The group, consisting of 18 people, also allegedly used the hut on Queensland's Curtis Island National Park as a base for other illegal activities before the structure was discovered in August 2024. The group was fined for starting illegal fires, bringing domestic dogs onto the island, hunting with guns and other weapons, as well as driving cars and motorbikes through restricted access areas. This alleged offending put rangers, neighbours, other park users, native wildlife and the environment at risk, the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) said. Great Barrier Reef and Marine Parks Regional Director Tina Alderson said the hut would be removed by park rangers. "People who want to build a hut for their own personal use for activities such as fishing, hunting and vehicle-based activities can do so on private land but not in a national park," she said. "Multiple fines and warnings have been issued for illegal activity within the protected areas of Curtis Island, and eighteen offenders have been identified," she said. "[Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service] is serious about compliance, and anyone who builds an illegal structure in a protected area will be caught." DETSI issued 22 penalty infringement notices with fines totalling $7606, with two people receiving fines of more than $1000 for their alleged roles in the offending. READ MORE: Proposed price hikes at popular camping sites slammed Thousands of dollars in fines have been laid against a group of would-be outdoorsmen who allegedly cleared trees in an Australian national park to build an illegal hut. The group, consisting of 18 people, also allegedly used the hut on Queensland's Curtis Island National Park as a base for other illegal activities before the structure was discovered in August 2024. The group was fined for starting illegal fires, bringing domestic dogs onto the island, hunting with guns and other weapons, as well as driving cars and motorbikes through restricted access areas. This alleged offending put rangers, neighbours, other park users, native wildlife and the environment at risk, the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) said. Great Barrier Reef and Marine Parks Regional Director Tina Alderson said the hut would be removed by park rangers. "People who want to build a hut for their own personal use for activities such as fishing, hunting and vehicle-based activities can do so on private land but not in a national park," she said. "Multiple fines and warnings have been issued for illegal activity within the protected areas of Curtis Island, and eighteen offenders have been identified," she said. "[Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service] is serious about compliance, and anyone who builds an illegal structure in a protected area will be caught." DETSI issued 22 penalty infringement notices with fines totalling $7606, with two people receiving fines of more than $1000 for their alleged roles in the offending. READ MORE: Proposed price hikes at popular camping sites slammed Thousands of dollars in fines have been laid against a group of would-be outdoorsmen who allegedly cleared trees in an Australian national park to build an illegal hut. The group, consisting of 18 people, also allegedly used the hut on Queensland's Curtis Island National Park as a base for other illegal activities before the structure was discovered in August 2024. The group was fined for starting illegal fires, bringing domestic dogs onto the island, hunting with guns and other weapons, as well as driving cars and motorbikes through restricted access areas. This alleged offending put rangers, neighbours, other park users, native wildlife and the environment at risk, the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) said. Great Barrier Reef and Marine Parks Regional Director Tina Alderson said the hut would be removed by park rangers. "People who want to build a hut for their own personal use for activities such as fishing, hunting and vehicle-based activities can do so on private land but not in a national park," she said. "Multiple fines and warnings have been issued for illegal activity within the protected areas of Curtis Island, and eighteen offenders have been identified," she said. "[Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service] is serious about compliance, and anyone who builds an illegal structure in a protected area will be caught." DETSI issued 22 penalty infringement notices with fines totalling $7606, with two people receiving fines of more than $1000 for their alleged roles in the offending. READ MORE: Proposed price hikes at popular camping sites slammed Thousands of dollars in fines have been laid against a group of would-be outdoorsmen who allegedly cleared trees in an Australian national park to build an illegal hut. The group, consisting of 18 people, also allegedly used the hut on Queensland's Curtis Island National Park as a base for other illegal activities before the structure was discovered in August 2024. The group was fined for starting illegal fires, bringing domestic dogs onto the island, hunting with guns and other weapons, as well as driving cars and motorbikes through restricted access areas. This alleged offending put rangers, neighbours, other park users, native wildlife and the environment at risk, the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) said. Great Barrier Reef and Marine Parks Regional Director Tina Alderson said the hut would be removed by park rangers. "People who want to build a hut for their own personal use for activities such as fishing, hunting and vehicle-based activities can do so on private land but not in a national park," she said. "Multiple fines and warnings have been issued for illegal activity within the protected areas of Curtis Island, and eighteen offenders have been identified," she said. "[Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service] is serious about compliance, and anyone who builds an illegal structure in a protected area will be caught." DETSI issued 22 penalty infringement notices with fines totalling $7606, with two people receiving fines of more than $1000 for their alleged roles in the offending. READ MORE: Proposed price hikes at popular camping sites slammed
