Emergency authorities are ‘increasingly concerned’ about dingo attacks on Fraser Island following attack on girl

Emergency authorities are urging tourists to be hypervigilant and avoid contact with dingoes after the latest incident in which a young girl was bitten and held underwater during the attack.

QAS Wide Bay senior operations supervisor Martin Kelly said that the influx of tourists to Fraser Island over the Easter holidays makes it a busy time for emergency services.

Dingo attacks on Fraser Island are an “increasing concern” for authorities following the latest incident in which a young girl was attacked and held underwater by one of the animals

The six-year-old girl was on a holiday with family when the dingo attacked her while swimming in a shallow lagoon at Waddy Point in the north of Fraser Island about 4pm Monday.

“We‘re told the dingo actually grabbed hold of the young girl’s head, and at one stage the girl was submerged in water,” QAS Wide Bay senior operations supervisor Martin Kelly said.

“Some bystanders and family assisted to protect the girl and get the dog away.”

QAS Wide Bay senior operations supervisor Martin Kelly said that care for the mental health of the girl, her family and any witnesses to the incident is paramount.

A RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter was dispatched from Bundaberg around 4.40pm carrying a critical care doctor and paramedic.

The medical staff treated the girl on the island for head and hand injuries before she was flown to Hervey Bay Hospital in a stable condition.

‘Blaze of glory’: Man’s words to brother before police stand-off

While Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service is unable to provide an update on the current status of the girl without her parents’ written consent, Mr Kelly said care for the mental health of the girl, her family and any witnesses to the incident was paramount.

“This is obviously an incident that will cause some post traumatic stress reaction, so people should look after that aspect of this as well,” Mr Kelly said.

“Anybody who witnessed (the incident) all need to make sure they look after their psychiatric health as well.”

The incident follows a boy attacked by a dingo near the Ocean Lake Campground in December 2022.

Mr Kelly was concerned dingo attacks are happening more frequently due to increased interaction with humans.

“We’re increasingly concerned (about dingo attacks) because they’re learned behaviours,” Mr Kelly said.

“The more that they interact with humans, the less they‘ll become concerned about us.”

While there is no indication that the girl attacked in the latest incident or her family were doing anything to provoke the animal, Mr Kelly said people visiting Fraser Island are advised to be hypervigilant and avoid contact with dingoes as much as possible by camping in designated areas.

People visiting Fraser Island are advised to be hypervigilant and avoid contact with dingoes as much as possible by camping in designated areas.

“There‘s lots of information that Parks and Wildlife put out about not feeding (dingoes) and not playing with them, not trying to approach them,” Mr Kelly said.

“They’ve lived on the island for a long time, and we just need to keep away from them as much as possible.”

“The big thing to do is to remember to camp in the areas that are designated as camping areas, and not to camp by yourself in these areas – to camp in groups of people.”

Biggenden double murder accused back before court

The influx of tourists to Fraser Island over the Easter holidays makes it a busy time for emergency services.

“It’s a particularly busy time, the population on the island grows significantly,” Mr Kelly said.

“We have a much greater workload from stuff that happens out there, be it from people driving their four-wheel drives and having accidents.

“It’s a place to respect and take care on.”