‘Never once eaten anybody out of their bedroom’: Calls for harsh penalties for ‘idiotic’ interactions with crocs

Bob Irwin, father of Steve Irwin, says an eye-for-an-eye croc attack policy doesn’t work after a man was attacked, and his dog was eaten, in Far North Queensland.

Bob Irwin and his Crocodile Hunter son Steve.

Steve Irwin’s father Bob has thrown his weight behind a campaign calling for people who put themselves at risk in croc country to be penalised.

It comes merely a week after a saltwater crocodile attacked a man and his dog at the Bloomfield River in remote Far North Queensland.

Alister MacPhee, 37, was flown to a hospital in Cairns after the savage attack in which the reptile snatched and ate his rottweiler Molly.

The 4.2-metre croc was later found and shot by wildlife officers from the Department of Environment and Science.

A necropsy last Friday found the remains of Molly inside the animal’s stomach.

According to a chorus of wildlife advocates, the deaths of Molly and the croc were entirely avoidable.

Alister MacPhee was flown to Cairns Hospital from the Bloomfield River after being bitten on the leg by a large saltwater croc on Wednesday afternoon. Picture: Supplied

Bob Irwin, who has been working with wildlife and crocodiles for over half a century, said there needed to be less focus on croc management, like culls, and more on “human management”.

“The most obvious point we seem to overlook in these incidents is that this is not actually a crocodile management issue at all,” he explained.

“Things will only change when the authorities start to look at this for what it really is – a human management issue.

“Because let’s be really matter of fact here – a crocodile has never once eaten anybody out of their bedroom.”

Mr Irwin called for harsher penalties similar to those current for interactions with other threatened species.

Bob Irwin (left), father of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin (right), says there needs to be harsh penalties for people who put themselves in harm’s way around crocs.

“You cannot go within 100 metres of a humpback whale in the ocean, feed or make food available to dingoes on K’gari (Fraser Island), swim in restricted areas at Babinda Boulders, or be caught feeding cassowaries from your picnic rug at Etty Bay,” Mr Irwin said.

“It is now an offence.”

“But what doesn’t make sense is that you can set up your video camera beside a prominent government warning sign advising that saltwater crocodiles are present, strip down to your Speedos, and lead your pet dog in the water without a single consequence at all.

“The crocodile and the dog both paying the price.”

Mr Irwin said it was upsetting as “the crocodile, of course, pays the ultimate price” for poor human decisions.

Alister MacPhee after being attacked by a crocodile in Bloomfield.

“(The attack) could have been an opportunity to educate the public about crocodile safety and showcasing that there will no longer be any tolerance for disregarding safety warnings,” he said. “Tougher penalties simply need to be promoted.

“The eye-for-an-eye mentality is not solving the problem at all.”

Matt Cornish, a Queensland Police officer turned wildlife educator and nature photographer didn’t mince his words when he told news.com.au he agreed incidents like Mr MacPhee’s attack should not happen.

“This man obviously entered the waterway with an animal – his pet dog – and his idiocracy has actually resulted in the death of not only his dog but also a native crocodile which is a 4.2-metre beast,” he said.

Matt Cornish, former Queensland Police officer turned wildlife educator. Picture: Facebook

Over his years as a police officer in Cairns, Port Douglas and throughout Cape York, Mr Cornish said this incident was “extreme”.

“I’ve seen many different issues in our community as a police officer – some of which did involve native wildlife (but) an example like this is pretty extreme.

“Sometimes we hear stories of crocodile attacks, but it’s really hard to figure out what happened because it’s based on a testimonial or word of mouth,” he said.

“This particular example is unique in the fact that the crocodile attack victim filmed his own attack, which is quite bizarre.

“Given that it was recorded, it would be the perfect opportunity for the Department of Environment and Science to step up and make an example of this man’s behaviour.”

Mr Cornish, Mr Irwin and other conservationists say they’re yet to hear a good reason why Mr MacPhee went to the water’s edge last Wednesday.

A Facebook comment from MacPhee alluded to a potential reason why.

“I want to catch a big water python, but the croc’s (sic) ya see,” he wrote.

Alister MacPhee said he wanted to catch a ‘big water python’ while at Bloomfield. Picture: Supplied

In a vague statement released by Cairns Hospital, Mr MacPhee thanked those who helped care for him.

“I want to thank emergency services and staff at Cairns Hospital for looking after me,” he said. “Especially Magic Molly (my dog), who was always by my side.

“I have, unfortunately, learned the hard way.

“Everyone needs to be croc-wise in croc territory.”

Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science have concluded investigations and said the croc was “humanely euthanised”in line with the Queensland Crocodile Management Plan.

Michael Joyce, manager of Northern Wildlife Operations, said the key priority was public safety, and the removal of the large old crocodile was unfortunate, but unavoidable.

“It’s important for communities in Croc Country to feel safe and for problem crocodiles to be dealt with appropriately,” he explained. “Remember, warning signs are not there as decoration and swimming in Croc Country is a choice.”

A statement said Mr MacPhee had declined to speak to DES.

There were just four reported crocodile attacks in Australia in 2022 – all not fatal.