TIMELINE: Major Fraser Island dingo incidents of the past two years
A man who was caught feeding a dingo on K’gari, or Fraser Island, over the weekend was the latest in a troubling string of incidents between visitors and the local dingo population. SEE OUR COMPREHENSIVE LIST
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A man who was caught feeding a dingo on K’gari, or Fraser Island, over the weekend was the latest in a troubling string of incidents between visitors and the local dingo population.
The man was hit with a $2135 infringement notice by police after a tourism operator allegedly witnessed him feeding bread to a tagged dingo at Eli Creek last Saturday.
He was also fined $200 for taking a vehicle into a recreation area without a permit.
The Queensland Government announced last month it would pledge $2 million to build about seven kilometres of fencing around Orchard Beach “in an effort to reduce interactions between the animals and visitors”, following two dingo attacks on children in the area.
Here’s a look back at some of the most recent dingo-human incidents that have raised concerns at K’gari and beyond:
1. Young boy, 4, bitten by dingo at Orchid Beach – May 4
A four-year-old boy was bitten by a dingo at Orchid Beach on Fraser Island, just weeks after a toddler was injured in an attack at the same spot after wandering from his family‘s holiday accommodation at night.
The latest incident occurred when two boys, aged four and five were approached by a dingo near a car parked outside a home at Orchid Beach on Saturday.
According to a Department of Environment and Science spokesman, the dingo sniffed the five-year-old boy and the children ran towards the house.
At this point, the four-year-old boy was bitten on the thigh.
2. Child bitten by dingo saved by first responder – April 17
A young boy was flown to Bundaberg Hospital in a stable condition after he was reportedly bitten by a dingo on Fraser Island.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesperson said at the time the child had reported bite marks to the thigh, buttocks, head and shoulders, resulting in “superficial” injuries.
A first responder who saved the two-year-old later revealed details of how they bravely stopped the attack and saved the boy’s life, managing to scare it away from the boy despite it growling at him.
3. Rangers investigating after dingo killed in vehicle strike – April 13
Investigations were quickly launched after a dingo was killed in vehicle strike on K’gari on April 13.
The incident happened on the beachfront north of Cornwall’s Break Road.
Rangers believe the dingo was hit by a car while foraging alone on the beach.
The vehicle tracks suggested the vehicle did not try to stop or swerve around the dingo.
4. Safety blitz announced – March 23
A safety blitz to protect visitors and dingoes on Fraser Island was announced after a boy was bitten on the legs by two of the animals last month.
New dingo deterrent fences, patrols and a community education push were all part of efforts by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service on K’gari to stop dangerous interactions between people and dingoes.
5. Dingo nips resident on her property – February 10
A Fraser Island resident was nipped by a dingo that came onto her property earlier this year.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers were investigating the incident, which happened at Orchid Beach.
The incident happened when a dingo entered the property, approached her and nipped her on the knee.
6. Call to slash visitor numbers and protect ‘dangerous, wild’ Fraser Is – February 6
It was reported numbers to Fraser Island could be slashed and tourists barred from its fragile sites amid growing calls to keep the World Heritage area dangerous, wild and special.
The 123km island – one of Australia’s best-known tourism destinations – attracts about 400,000 domestic and international visitors every year.
Debate about the coexistence of tourists and wildlife reignited after Thursday’s dingo attack at Orchid Beach in which a child received minor abrasions.
7. Another child attacked by dingo on Fraser Island – February 4
A nine-year-old boy would not be taken to hospital after being attacked by a dingo on Orchid Beach in February.
A paramedic treated the boy for a “very minor injury” after he was reportedly attacked by the dingo, causing injuries to his legs.
The boy’s father scared the dingo away.
8. ‘Cruel’ dingo collars continue to raise public hackles – July 20, 2020
A CALL to ban tracking collars on Fraser (K‘gari) Island dingoes has secured more than 11,200 signatures in what a Sunshine Coast wildlife advocate says sends a clear message to the State Government.
Connect 2 wildlife 4 environment operator Marie-Louise Sarjeant said her change.org petition continues to grow amid widespread concerns for the welfare of these animals.
Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch has been called on to “look into the cumbersome collars now on two or more Fraser Island dingoes and asking to have them immediately removed” by Ms Sarjeant.
9. Fraser Island dingo encounters reach alarming numbers, documents show – January 2020
Visitors to Fraser Island were experiencing an astonishing number of dingo encounters, with more than 150 incident reports filed in just three months, documents released under Right to Information laws reveal.
Documents released under Right to Information reveal at least 160 incident reports involving dingoes on the island, also known as K’gari, were lodged with the Environment Department in about a three-month period to May.
10. Boy bitten by dingo in fourth island attack of the year – December 8, 2019
A school-aged boy was bitten on the hand on Eastern Beach at about 6pm.
He did not require transport to hospital.
It was later revealed that the boy’s mother tried to protect her kids, using a boogie board to fend the dingo off.
The bite was the fourth reported incident of the year after a six-year-old boy was attacked by a dingo in January, followed by another on a nine-year-old boy and his mother in February.
On April 19, a 14-month-old boy was snatched from his tent while he slept by a dingo, suffering a fractured skull, puncture wounds to his neck and head and a bite-mark bruise on his shoulder. See more on that story below.
11. Palaszczuk Government doubles Fraser Island dingo-feeding fines to $10k – April 26, 2019
Fines for intentionally feeding dingoes on Fraser Island were doubled to more than $10,000 in a bid to kerb attacks.
“Habituation”, where dingoes can become accustomed to seeking food from humans, is considered the main cause of dangerous interactions.
Fraser Island, also known by its traditional name K’gari, has seen three attacks on visitors this year, the latest on a 14-month-old boy dragged from a camper trailer on Good Friday.
MORE HERE
12. Toddler pulled from camper trailer by a dingo on Fraser Island – April 19, 2019
A 14-month-old boy was flown to a Brisbane hospital after he was snatched from his bed at a campsite on Fraser Island in an eerily similar attack to the one that claimed the life of Azaria Chamberlain.
The toddler, later identified as Hunter Allister, was taken from the trailer – which was parked outside of the designated camping area – on Eurong Rd, at Eurong, about 12.40am on Good Friday.
Hunter’s father reportedly chased the dingo about 15m and wrestled with it to save his son’s life.
His parents Luke and Sarah Allister held back tears as they later recalled waking to their 14-month-old son Hunter’s screams on April 19.
13. Second dingo put down after savage attack on Fraser Island – March 3, 2019
Regional news at the heart of our best journalism
A SECOND dingo that savagely mauled a tourist and her son holidaying in Fraser Island has been put down.
Wildlife rangers euthanised the second dingo involved in attacking a French tourist, in her twenties, and her nine-year-old son at Eurong Beach on Thursday night.
They were reportedly running to safety back to their car when they were attacked by a pack of dingoes.
– Dingo-shy campers can always go somewhere else
– Plenty of dingo-free campsites but the dingoes have no choice
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