Hector the croc: Lismore curiously welcomed female croc over 50 years ago

In the age of social media, it’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s fake. However, Lismore residents couldn’t believe what they were seeing when a massive croc rocked up on the Wilson River decades ago.

With the powers of social media and photoshop it’s hard to tell what’s real in the digital age.

Following the recent floods in the Northern Rivers, users on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were quick to spot a ‘furphy’.

However, when a massive creature called Hector crawled onto the banks of the Wilson River 55 years ago, she put a smile on the face of passers-by and has since become part of Lismore folklore.

The Lismore croc was in the Wilson River for a few years before it disappeared following the 1974 floods.

The Northern Star reported in 1974 that a circus show owner Mr N Lawson, originally from Melbourne, had two crocodiles on show, Hector and Horrible.

Historic photo of Hector the crocodile on the banks of the Wilson River Picture: The Northern Star Archives.

Hector got all the publicity when he reportedly escaped from his cage at Coleman’s Point sometime during 1966.

There was speculation from the captain of the historic MV Florrie that the poor creature had been ‘murdered’ although history tells us Hector arrived in Lismore as part of a travelling circus in the late 1960s.

The event captured the hearts of the town and even led to a song being written about it by Jimmy Willing with a fun punchline.

“I think it must be very lonely

“Being Lismore’s one and only

“Hector the Crocodile”

Hector is a real life rural legend and he even had a Molesworth Street restaurant named after him called ‘Hector’s Place’.

Lismore historian Maurie Ryan remembered Hector over a decade ago when The Northern Star sifted through its archives.

“It was so ludicrous that it would be in the river it really got people’s attention and people were quite proud of it,” Mr Ryan said.

According to historians who traced the history of the croc, Hector might have lived near the old Fredericks Meat Works in South Gundurimba.

He wasn’t the only croc around with reports suggesting that a further six crocodiles were released into the Richmond River during the period of 1961 and 1966.

However, a croc hasn’t been seen since the mysterious disappearance of Hector.