’Ground zero’: Dingo sightings at the Little Desert National Park

Farmers are calling on government authorities to be transparent, after reports of dingo sightings near the Little Desert National Park. See the footage and photos.

Farmers are up in arms after dingoes have been spotted near the Little Desert National Park, for what could be the first time in more than 100 years.

The Weekly Times has had reports of a dingo sighting on January 21, before the Little Desert National Park fire sparked, and again on January 27.

Lawloit farmer Alan Bennett, who has land neighbouring both the Big Desert and Little Desert, said he believed it was the first sighting in the Little Desert National Park since 1911.

There is a known population in the Big Desert National Park.

“If they stay in the Little Desert that’ll be fine but they won’t, they’ll range out into open country,” he said.

Mr Bennett runs sheep at his Little Desert property, and said wild dogs had killed about 15 sheep in four attacks over the past week at his Big Desert property.

Crop farmer Peter Clarke's photo of a dingo in an enclosure at the Little Desert Nature Lodge. Picture: Supplied

Nhill crop farmer Peter Clarke responded to the fires at the Little Desert Nature Lodge, which was destroyed, and said he spotted two dingoes in an enclosure on January 30.

He said government authorities must be transparent with local farmers.

“I saw the dogs, like everyone else, I could list a dozen people who have seen them before they were picked up,” he said.

“It’s massive, aside from getting auto steering in my tractor, this is the biggest thing to happen in my farming career.”

Mr Clarke said nearby landholders had reported sightings of dingoes.

“I feel like the war just started for us, and we’re ground zero. We were putting the fires out, I can’t believe it’s happened,” he said.

Little Desert Nature Lodge camp director Moshe Kahn said in a Facebook statement on January 28 they could confirm all animals were safe.

“Staff and animals left the property as a precautionary measure before the fire began, ensuring there were no injuries or harm,” he said in the post.

Crop farmer Peter Clarke's photo of two dingoes in an enclosure at the Little Desert Nature Lodge. Picture: Supplied

The Weekly Times has contacted the Little Desert Nature Lodge for further comment.

Dingoes can be kept commercially under a wildlife display licence, or a wildlife demonstrator licence. They are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975. A January 2024 study estimated between 40 and 230 dingoes to be present in northwest Victoria, and between 2640 and 8800 in eastern Victoria.

The Weekly Times also contacted the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action about any potential licenced breeder, its involvement with the fire response and wildlife monitoring efforts, and any reports of escaped wildlife.

The Little Desert fire has reached 94,400ha so far.

Originally published as ’Ground zero’: Dingo sightings at the Little Desert National Park