Dingo attack: Rangers reveal more details after young girl bitten at K’gari

Rangers have revealed a dingo which bit a young girl at the popular tourist island off the Fraser Coast was known to them and had been involved in ‘threatening behaviour’ earlier. LATEST

Rangers have revealed a dingo which bit a young girl at the popular tourist island off the Fraser Coast was known to them and had been in ‘threatening behaviour’ in earlier incidents. Picture: Liam Kidston

A state government wildlife officer says the dingo which bit a young girl on K’gari Wednesday afternoon is tagged and known to authorities, who are now considering their next steps.

Fraser Coast Ranger in Charge Dr Linda Behrendorff said the attack boiled down to “unlucky timing” for the family involved.

Dr Behrendorff said the nine-year-old girl was in the water at the Yidney beachfront with her parents close by about 4.30pm when the animal, which in the vicinity, bit her on the leg.

The girl’s parents had turned their back “for two seconds”, she said.

“The child fell into the water and it took the opportunity to approach at speed and bite the child,” Dr Behrendorff said.

The parents were not far from the child when she was bitten, and the incident came down to “unlucky timing”.

There have bee 11 “high risk” incidents at K’gari since the start 0f 2024, Dr Linda Behrendorff said.

Reports from authorities following the incident said witnesses created a distraction and gave assistance to the girl and her family.

The girl was transported to the Happy Valley ambulance station where she received first aid for minor wounds and arrangements were made to transport her to the mainland for further medical assessment.

Dr Behrendorff said Thursday the girl was in a stable condition.

It was not the first time the dingo in question had been involved in an incident.

“The dingo is known to rangers,” Dr Behrendorff said.
“From here we’ll have discussions … about where the next step to is.”

This included simply keeping a “good eye” eye on the animal, or putting a GPS tracking collar on it.

The dingo was tagged, Dr Behrendorff said.

Dr Linda Behrendorff said the nine-year-old girl was in the water at the Yidney beachfront with her parents close by about 4.30pm when the animal, which in the vicinity, bit her on the leg. Picture: Sky News

“This helped us identify the animal,” she said.

“This (dingo) roams from Waddy point right down to south K’gari, so it could be anywhere at any time.”

“This particular dingo has been involved in some threatening behaviour beforehand.”

Dr Behrendorff said there had been 11 reports of “high risk” incidents with dingoes in 2024 already.

“Statistically it’s higher than what we’d like it,” she said.

“In this particular time of year … it’s the high risk dingo breeding season.”

She said younger males are a lot more “assertive” in their behaviour as they try to identify themselves or establish a territory.

Dr Behrendorff urged campers and visitors to the island to remain “dingo safe” and be vigilant about whether dingoes are in the area.

Ways to ensure this included always staying within arm’s reach of children or teenagers, always walking in groups and carrying a stick, never feeding dingoes, remembeering to camp in fenced areas where possible, not running or jogging, locking up food and iceboxes, never storing food or food containers in tents, and securing all rubbish, fish, and bait.

In January a dingo involved in a three-person attack was humanely euthanised, in what park rangers said was a last resort after the animal displayed “increasingly dangerous behaviour”.

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