Child attacked by dingo on Fraser Island

A paramedic has revealed new details of the moment a dingo seized the opportunity to attack a young boy on Fraser Island, leaving him with wounds to his leg.

A nine-year-old boy will not be taken to hospital after being attacked by a dingo on Orchid Beach, Fraser Island.

A paramedic treated the boy for a “very minor injury”.

“No further assistance or transport is required,” a statement from Queensland Ambulance Service said.

The boy was on the beach with his family when he was attacked by the dingo, causing injuries to his legs.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said they were called shortly before 9.30am

but a registered nurse was on scene helping the boy, while paramedics make their way to the beach.

Fraser Island’s duty paramedic, who gave his name as Lee, said the dingo lunged after the boy fell in the sand.

“It was a father and his son (who) were on the beach,” he said.

“(They) walked past a small mob of dingoes that were relaxing on the sand and then one of the juveniles had then got up and started walking towards the child as he was walking past them.

“As the child had turned around, he had stumbled in the sand and fell over and then the … dingo advanced onto that child.”

A dingo bit a boy on Thursday morning.

Lee said the boy’s father scared the dingo away, with the child receiving only minor abrasions from the animal.

“The child has suffered a minor abrasion – no puncture wounds – to his left calf and inner right knee,” he said.

“These abrasions from the animal had already – by my time of assessing the child – had been cleaned and first aid had been given by an off-duty registered nurse who was up in the area at the time.”

Lee said the father and son were visiting the island from New South Wales and would continue their day at the beach, despite the attack.

He said parents should take precautions with their children around dingoes.

“Always make sure your children are within one to two arms length of you at all times,” he said.

“If you do see dingoes on the beach, put yourself between the dingo and your child.

“Never run from a dingo that’s advancing to you – always face it and carry a stick.”

Fraser Coast Tourism and Events general manager Martin Simons at Hervey Bay Boat Club.

Fraser Coast Tourism General Manager Martin Simons warned that an over-reaction to the incident would be harmful to tourism operators who were relying on a “critical” Easter season after a series of Island closures last year.

Mr Simons said the flora and fauna of Fraser Island were part of its beauty but should be treated with respect.

“It’s a wilderness environment and the only native dingoes in Australia are resident,” he said.

“They’re not overrunning the place, there’s not that many of them,” he said.

“Take due caution, with those precautions you can have a safe trip.”

Activists have refused to label yesterday’s incident an “attack” and have urged authorities not to kill the young animal.

Save Fraser Island Dingoes group said the animals – who have suffered through massive December bushfires – may behave differently after being left alone on the island for months last year.

Anyone visiting the island was warned to keep their children within arm’s length

“If you do see dingoes on the beach, put yourself between the dingo and your child,”

“Never

run from a dingo that’s advancing to you – always face it and carry a stick

The Department of Environment and Science is investigating the incident.

“No decisions have been made about the animal,” a DES statement said.