Girl, 5, bitten, boy, 7, chased by dingo in high risk incidents on K’gari

A girl, 5, has been bitten by a dingo and a seven-year-old boy chased in two frightening incidents on K’gari as the Christmas holidays get under way.

A dingo on Fraser Island. Two high risk incidents involving untagged juvenile dingoes and young children on K’gari are being investigated as the Christmas holidays get underway.

Two high risk incidents involving untagged juvenile dingoes and young children on K’gari are being investigated.

On Sunday, December 10, 2023, a five-year-old girl was bitten on the thigh and received lacerations and bruising near Wathumba beach about 3pm.

Witnesses said the girl ran from a large group of people near the sand flats, and a nearby dingo ran at full speed toward her and nipped her on the thigh.

The girl stopped running, then became scared and ran as people were running toward her, and the dingo followed and bit her on the thigh.

An adult grabbed the girl and waved their hat to ward off the dingo, which moved away a few metres until other adults intervened and it moved on.

The girl received a laceration and bite to her thigh that was treated by a doctor camping on the island.

The next day, December 11, rangers were patrolling the beach at Wathumba and delivering Be Dingo-safe messaging to visitors when they noticed a boy, 7, away from his family.

A dingo on K’gari. Photos: Des Houghton

A dingo that had been sleeping under a vehicle began walking toward the boy with intent, and the boy became scared and ran.

The dingo ran at speed toward the boy as rangers ran through the water and the parents also ran for the boy.

The dingo lunged, attempting to bite but did not make contact.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers provided assistance to both families and are attempting to identify the dingo and determine if the same animal was involved in both incidents.

Visitors and residents on K’gari are reminded to keep children under constant supervision.

Anyone with further information is encouraged to contact a QPWS ranger by calling 07 4127 9150.

It comes as it was revealed just 27 people for dangerously interacting with wild dingoes on K’gari in the past five years, despite a spike in the number of high-profile serious incidents – and a promised state government crackdown.

More than 30 high-risk interactions between humans and dingoes – also known as wongari – have occurred this year, including a 23-year-old woman being chased into the ocean, an attack on a six-year-old girl, and a 10-year-old boy being dragged under water.

There have also been dozens more threatening incidents, with three animals on the island euthanised.