4.5-metre crocodile spotted speeding up Far North Qld river

A fisherman has captured the moment a massive crocodile raced past his dinghy before coming “too close for comfort”.

A far north Qld fisherman has captured terrifying footage of a huge saltwater crocodile tearing through the water next to his boat, as another saltie in the NT reminds us what the prehistoric beasts are capable of.

Commercial fisherman Robert Dunn captured footage of the croc, estimated to be about 4.5-metres, speeding along the Bloomfield River north of Cairns on Monday, diving under and resurfacing repeatedly as it races up the river.

Tommy the Tank speeding up the Bloomfield River. Picture: Robert Dunn

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He told the Cairns Post the crocodile was bigger than the boat he was in.

“I was only in a 3.5-metre tinny and he cruised right next to me,” Mr Dunn said.

Mr Dunn said the crocodile was well known because “he keeps eating all the dogs” in the area near the Wujal Wujal Aboriginal community, and had even been given the name Tommy the Tank by locals.

“He came up with this growl and locked eyes with me,” Mr Dunn said, telling the Post he feared Tommy might be sizing up his dinghy as he swam underneath it.

“I’ve had a couple close calls before but that was a bloody game changer,” he told the Today show on Thursday morning.

“It was close, came a bit too close for comfort.”

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Tommy is estimated to be about 4.5 metres, but there’s reportedly an even bigger croc in the surrounding waters. Picture: Robert Dunn

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Mr Dunn added there was an even bigger croc in the area named Max, who was the dominant male, but more shy than Tommy.

Daintree River croc guide David White told the Post it was “very unusual” and “very dangerous” behaviour from the croc.

“I have seen a big male make a huge wake like that and swim high after another male but not as fast as this,” he said.

“Perhaps there was another male around or else just full of testosterone and angry. I certainly wouldn’t have been so calm.”

He said crocodiles had been detected swimming at speeds up to 29km/h for short periods of time.

The video came as another crocodile in the Northern Territory recently showed exactly what they can do.

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Michele Bain snapped some great photos of crocs doing what they do best – chewing into meat, while out on Corroboree Billabong recently. Picture: Michele Bain

The dominant croc fought off competitors for the fresh meat. Picture: Michele Bain

Photographer Michele Bain was at the Corroboree Billabong southeast of Darwin last Wednesday when she spotted a four metre crocodile taking down a cow.

The saltie fought off other crocodiles who wanted some beef of their own.

“We saw so many crocs it was incredible,” Ms Bain told the NT News.

“There was a lot of splashing as they were all trying to have a piece but the big one wasn’t letting them have it.”

She said the cow had all but disappeared when she and her husband returned the next day, theorising the crocs had dragged it into the water.

Michele Bain said the cow was mostly gone by the next day. Picture: Michele Bain