Listed: Qld’s most shocking animal attacks on land
Queensland is in shock after a woman was mauled by a lion at Darling Downs Zoo on Sunday, but it’s not the first time a horror animal attack has rocked the state in recent years.
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Queensland is in shock after a woman was mauled by a lion at Darling Downs Zoo on Sunday, but it’s not the first time a horrific animal attack on land has rocked the state in recent years.
Elderly man attacked by cassowary
An elderly Cardwell man was wounded after a cassowary kicked him in the upper thigh in April 2025.
A cassowary, thought to be accustomed to being fed, wandered into his backyard before launching the attack.
People who live in cassowary territory were reminded that cassowaries were dangerous and could be unpredictable.
Woman loses arm after dog attack
A Townsville woman lost her arm in October 2024 following a vicious attack by her own pet dog.
Speaking after the incident, she feared she would die alone.
“I lost so much blood — like two litres — just gushing out of me. I kicked off my shoes, dragged my phone toward me with my foot, and managed to call triple-0,” she recalled.
Dreamworld handler bitten by tiger
An animal handler at Dreamworld suffered deep lacerations after she was attacked by a tiger in September 2024.
She was taken to hospital in a stable condition.
A spokesperson for the theme park called it an “isolated and rare incident”, saying the victim was trained in handling tigers.
Man taken by croc after river bank gives way
A Newcastle doctor was killed by a crocodile in August 2024 after slipping on the banks of the Annan River near Cooktown.
A search and rescue operation was launched, with his remains found days later.
The man is believed to have saved his wife’s life by letting go of her arm to stop her from falling into the river.
Man attacked, dog killed by croc south of Cooktown
A man was bitten by a crocodile and his dog killed in February 2023 when he took his dog for a drink at the Bloomfield boat ramp near Cooktown.
The traveller took his dog to have a drink at the ramp when the croc lunged out of the water and bit him on the leg. The dog escaped.
Following the incident, Bob Irwin, conservationist and father of The Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, condemned the man’s actions for causing the deaths of two animals.
Meter reader fatally mauled by dogs
An Energex contractor was mauled to death in December 2022 by two dogs when he was inspecting an electricity meter in Greenbank.
The two dogs were seized from the property following the incident and euthanised.
Baby dragged from camper by dingo
A 14-month-old suffered serious injuries after he was dragged by a wild dingo from a camper trailer on K’gari in April 2019.
His parents were woken by his screams, with his dad wrestling with the dingo to save his son. The toddler suffered a fractured skull, puncture wounds to his neck and head and a bite-mark bruise on his shoulder.
Wildlife carer attacked by kangaroo
A Millmerran wildlife carer was left with a collapsed lung and internal injuries in October 2018 after she tried to protect her husband from a kangaroo that turned aggressive while they were feeding it.
The woman had cared for countless joeys over the years.
Australia Zoo handler mauled during rough play
A tiger handler was mauled at Australia Zoo in November 2013 after deliberately encouraging the tiger to play rougher than usual.
He suffered a crushed carotid artery, nicked jugular, paralysis to the left larynx and nerve damage to the left eye during the attack.
CFMEU thugs, Labor pollies in firing line as state pulls trigger on inquiry
A landmark commission of inquiry will be tasked with exposing and destroying the culture of violence, misogyny and intimidation inside the CFMEU, Premier David Crisafulli has revealed.
Greens founder faces expulsion over bitter gender feud
The man who launched the Greens with Bob Brown faces expulsion from the party because of a bitter feud over their gender policy.