State Government invests for Crocwise initiatives across Queensland

As a crocodile trap floats in the Fitzroy River waiting to catch an estimated four-metre salty, the Environment Minister has detailed some new Queensland croc safety initiatives which will be supported by budget funding.

QPWS Senior Wildlife Officer Joshua Morris, Keppel MP Brittany Lauga, Environment Minister Leanne Linard and Rockhampton MP Barry O'Rourke.

As a crocodile trap floats in the Fitzroy River waiting to catch an estimated four-metre salty, the Environment Minister has detailed some new Queensland croc safety initiatives which will be supported by budget funding.

Environment Minister Leanne Linard visited Rockhampton, which is located within croc country, on Wednesday to spruik the budget funding and receive an update on local crocodile management issues.

It comes as Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service officers continue efforts to remove a large crocodile about 10km upstream of the barrage.

The large animal is understood to be responsible for a recent rowing regatta being cancelled.

Ms Linard said in the recent state budget, which was handed down on June 13, an additional $4.175 million over three years would go towards crocodile safety initiatives.

A problem crocodile has been targeted for removal from the Fitzroy River at Pink Lily.

The investment includes funding for a new five-year Crocwise Strategy based on leading edge approaches to public communication and human behavioural change and working with First Nations people, local governments and the tourism sector to promote Crocwise behaviour.

“Some of the key initiatives are small scale technology, partnering with our local governments around high risk areas like boat ramps to improve public safety,” she said.

“It’s also commercialising and developing technology, including the use of sonar, to divert and detect crocs in high risk areas.

“It also includes an enhanced community safety package around making sure locals and tourists know that when they’re in areas like Rocky, which is croc country, they need to take those precautions and stay safe.

“We want to get that balance right between keeping the public safe and also conserving our southernmost breeding population of estuarine crocodiles.”

While there had been some calls for a crocodile cull, Ms Linard said the government had no plans of even considering such action.

“We know there was culling and they were hunted to near extinction and we don’t ever want to see that again,” she said.

“This is a naturally occurring species here and its protected under the Nature Conservation Act, we want to see them preserved in the wild and I know our communities want to see that too but equally they want to know public safety is a priority.”

Senior Wildlife Officer Josh Morris said the large crocodile targeted for capture had been spotted “weekly” since the trap was set for its removal.

“Sightings in this area are not uncommon, we’ve had 57 sightings of crocodiles this year in the region,” he said.

“We’ve rebaited that (the trap) and it will remain in place, it is winter, they are reptiles so it will slow down and could take longer for things to work and if that doesn’t work we will look at other options.

“We move to a more direct capture, attaching a rope to the crocodile and trying to get it that way … every croc is different, they all have different behaviours and feel comfortable with traps in different ways.

“Reporting crocodile sightings to us will help us understand where they are and what they’re doing, not all crocodiles reported to us are targeted for removal.”

The last time a crocodile was targeted for removal and captured in the Fitzroy River was in 2020.

Local QPWS officers are meeting with the Fitzroy River Users Group on Thursday night to discuss Crocodile Management in the Zone C section above the barrage.

Originally published as State Government invests for Crocwise initiatives across Queensland