Island of pain for dingo campaigner Jennifer Parkhurst

FRASER Island dingo advocate Jennifer Parkhurst says speaking up about what she saw on the island has basically ruined her life.

Jennifer Parkhurst once photographed dingoes on Fraser Island but has not been back since her court case.

FOR the thousands of tourists who visit Fraser Island every year, it's a place of beauty and recreation.

But for dingo campaigner Jennifer Parkhurst, it is a place of regret and heartbreak.

In 2010, the 45-year-old pleaded guilty in Maryborough Magistrates Court to 46 charges relating to feeding dingoes on the island.

The charges resulted from a raid by Department of Environment and Resource Management officers on her Rainbow Beach unit in 2009.

The officers seized a large amount of material, including camera and computer equipment.

At the time, magistrate John Smith condemned Ms Parkhurst's actions because of the scale and "deliberate nature" of the offending.

She was fined $40,000 and given a suspended jail sentence.

Six of the dingoes that Ms Parkhurst fed were destroyed after displaying aggressive behaviour towards people.

Ms Parkhurst's former boyfriend Adam Randall was also charged for feeding and interfering with dingoes.

He received a fine of $2500.

Ms Parkhurst said she had not fed dingoes prior to her relationship with Mr Randall and had not fed them after.

Since that time, Ms Parkhurst has suffered from a range of health complications stemming from diabetes.

She said the prosecution had impacted on her health and wellbeing and had dire financial consequences.

Jennifer Parkhurst says speaking up about what she saw on Fraser Island has basically ruined her life.

She has been staying with her family in Melbourne and has sought specialist care.

Ms Parkhurst has not been back to Fraser Island since the court case.

"It is too sad a place now," she said.

"It seems more dingoes have been destroyed or killed in the last 12 months than any other time in recent history.

"Clearly the management strategy still isn't working."

While she hasn't returned to the island, Ms Parkhurst receives more than 400 emails a week about the dingoes.

The emails send messages of support for both her and the dingoes.

The Save the Fraser Island Dingo group also received photos from people who said they were disturbed by what they have seen on the island, including what they say are emaciated dingoes, droopy ear tags or pups that appear to have been tagged under the legal age of seven months, she said.

"Sadly some tourists tell us that they never wish to go to the island again," Ms Parkhurst said.

She was frustrated by the independent peer review, which she said appeared to be "anything but independent".

"There was no public or stakeholder consultation as promised," she said.

"The Ecosure report has been handed over to a steering committee and we will know in February whether any changes have been made to the current strategy.

"I suspect we'll be disappointed, but I will be very glad if I am wrong."

Last year, Ms Parkhurst was named the Australian Wildlife Protection Council's Conservationist of the Year.

She described receiving the conservation award as great validation for her and her supporters.

She said many people had voiced their support for her since the judgement against her had been handed down.

"Many people deemed the fine and suspended sentence grossly unfair and at the time I received hundreds of emails and phone calls to that effect.

"I am paying the fine in small degrees and still have $32,000 to go.

"Because I can't work, the financial burden has of course impacted the quality of my life considerably."

Ms Parkhurst said at the time there had been accusations from people who believe she had fed the dingoes in an effort to seek fame and fortune.

She said the opposite was true.

"Speaking up about what I saw on the island has basically ruined my life, physically and mentally, and has taken away my lifestyle and career.

"However, I had no option but to speak up for the sake of those suffering animals."

In the months following the court case, Ms Parkhurst released a book called The Vanishing Icon: The Fraser Island Dingo.

The book included 180 photos of dingoes in the wild.

Ms Parkhurst said she had never used food to lure the dingoes so she could take photos and that feeding them was an act of compassion.

Because of her ill health she has been unable to pursue her passion for photography.

But she has a huge library of photos and videos that she is reviewing and cataloguing.

"I am working on several ideas for a new book and hope to release something similar to Vanishing Icon in the next year or two," she said.