Maryborough residents living next door to malice in the form of crocodile

THEY come with peace offerings to the banks of the river, but Maryborough's most divisive visitor turns up its long pointy nose at the big hunks of fresh pork dangled before it.

Beaver Rock Maryborough

THEY come with peace offerings to the banks of the river, but Maryborough's most divisive visitor turns up its long pointy nose at the big hunks of fresh pork dangled before it.

As the massive 3.5m saltwater crocodile thaws its cold blood in the spring sunshine beside the Mary River, it barely raises a weary eyelid at the attempts to entice it into a floating steel cage.

When The Courier-Mail visited the mangroves near the Beaver Rock boat ramp 9km from the centre of town, the big croc seemed right at home lazing away in the warm noon-day sun opposite Brothers Island, perfectly content on a bed of stinky mud, surrounded by the river's lavish smorgasbord of barramundi, banana prawns, mud crabs, feral pigs and turtles.

There have been sightings of crocodiles all over Maryborough in recent times, camouflaged amid driftwood near the Lamington Bridge, cruising beside Queens Park, skinny-dipping in front of the Sailing Club near the Brolga Theatre.

A couple of weeks ago it tore apart the nets of local fisherman Kev Greenhalgh and devoured his barramundi catch. But Kev's a forgiving sort of bloke.

"The crocodile is part of nature," says Kev, 57, "we have to look at it as part of the bigger picture and I think so long as it doesn't threaten anyone and we're all aware it's out there the crocodile should be left in peace."

His colleague Gary Whittaker, 47, is less hospitable.

"I reckon they ought to blow it's friggin' head off," Gary says, while standing knee-deep in water beside his dinghy and casting anxious glances over his shoulder in case of sudden moves nearby.

"It's been spotted sunning itself on the boat ramp at Beaver Rock. It's very frightening. You get out of your boat and you don't know if the croc's lurking in the water right next to you. It can see you but you can't see it."

In 1964 dairy farmer Len Greensill pulled out his trusty .303 rifle and shot a saltwater croc that was breakfasting on his calves nearly 30km farther down the Mary River at Tiaro.

Old Len then convinced his reluctant son-in-law to dive into the water and bring out the bloody carcass, which went on display for a few days at a local car dealership until the smell drove customers away.

There's a photo of old Len, the .303 and the dead croc on the wall of the Hideaway Hotel in Tiaro, but publican Col McBride says these are more enlightened times.

"I say leave the poor bugger alone. It's probably been out in the river for years not doing anyone any harm. Just leave it be."

Greg O'Neill, a wildlife manager from Queensland's Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, says saltwater crocodiles are an endangered species and protected. There is a $15,000 fine for anyone who takes a shot at one.

Greg's been monitoring Maryborough's crocodile since May when its sighting was first confirmed. He caught about 40 saltwater crocs when he was working out of Darwin Harbour but never thought he'd be trying to catch one in the Mary River when he moved to southern Queensland.

"It's our job to catch any crocodile found south of the Boyne River (Gladstone) because people down here are not used to living with them and don't take the precautions with crocs that people do in north Queensland," he said.
"When we catch it we'll take it to a crocodile farm or a fauna park."

He says catching the croc has so far proved impossible because it is unusually shy and while it is happy to sun itself by the riverbank it has exceptional hearing, eyesight and sense of smell, and slides into the water when anyone gets within 20 metres.

No one has been able to get close enough to even tell whether it's male or female, just that it's big and could have been around since World War II.

Signs have gone up all around the waterways of Maryborough warning of the croc's presence and telling locals to take extra care. But Greg has had to replace many of the signs that have been souvenired and there are still reports of people having barbecues beside the river and letting dogs have a swim in it.

Mother of two Trudy Miller, who runs the Blue Shades Motel near the Lamington Bridge, says parents have to be extra vigilant.

"My husband is from Mackay so he knows about crocodiles," she said. "You have to watch your children closely. But I still don't want (it) harmed. Crocodiles were here a long time before us and we have to learn to live with them."

Not everyone is so aware.

At Beaver Rock The Courier-Mail met two young locals launching their dinghy right next to a sign warning of the clear and present danger.

"Are you worried about the crocodile?" I asked them.

"What crocodile?" they replied.