Qld’s biggest, meanest crocodiles catches of all time
They’re the modern day dinosaurs of the deep who have made headlines and even went international. See the biggest crocodiles ever caught in Queensland and where they are now.
Rockhampton
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They’re the dinosaurs of today, reminding us of their prehistoric cousins and it’s not uncommon to see them Qld waterways, no matter where you are.
In Rockhampton, the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation have received multiple reports of large crocodile sightings in the Fitzroy River already in 2024.
A recent long-range genetic study by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation found Queensland’s estuarine crocodiles could be described broadly as six populations living within 12 distinct bioregions.
The study found about 91 per cent of Queensland crocodiles live within 50 kilometres of where they hatched.
Program co-ordinator wildlife monitoring and research Simon Booth said there was evidence of connectivity between adjacent sub-populations, but that connectivity declined with distance.
“Although estuarine crocodiles are capable of moving anywhere along Queensland’s coastline, the study has redefined what we know about Queensland’s crocodile population,” he said.
“Crocodiles in the Proserpine and Fitzroy River have been genetically isolated from other populations, and the study found they have the highest number of related individuals through decreased immigration from surrounding areas.”
Mr Booth said about 20 per cent of Queensland’s crocodile population was located along the coastline between Cooktown and Rockhampton.
QLD’S BIG CROC CATCHES
CAIRNS, Cassius
Cassius holds the Guinness World Record for being the biggest crocodile in captivity.
At more than 100-years-old, measuring 5.8 metres and weighing more than a ton, Cassius was captured in the Finis River in the Northern Territory in 1984.
Before he was caught he was known to attack boats and was also labelled a ‘man-eater’.
He was named after Muhammad Ali, whose birth name was Cassius Clay.
Mo
Found on the outskirts of the Mowbray River, near Port Douglas, lived five-metre salty Mo – who literally stopped traffic.
The large crocodile was regularly seen by wide-eyed visitors lazing on the banks under the Mowbray Bridge, much to the frustration of Port Douglas police and the local council.
In 2021 a 4.3m crocodile was removed from the river by DES believed to possibly be Mo after it was suspected to have been taking calves from the banks of the river.
During the site assessment, wildlife officers observed the crocodile displaying assertive behaviour, and the animal was unconcerned by the presence of the wildlife officers.
Scarface
Scarface is the King of the Daintree River where he has become well known as the star attraction for local crocodile spotting tours.
Measuring more than 4.5 metres long, he is thought to be around 70-years-old and is the dominant crocodile in the river.
The fiercely territorial croc can be found patrolling the banks of the World Heritage-listed rainforest and is a big hit with international tourists.
Toothless
Residing near Babinda, Toothless was a battle-scarred five metre crocodile without teeth who was thought to be at least 75-years-old.
The animal was found to have a condition affecting its digestive system which meant it could have gone without food for more than 12 months, saddening many locals who had watched it laze on the banks of the Babinda Creek prior to its removal in September 2020.
He was ultimately euthanised after his chances of recovery from a digestive condition were deemed to be minimal.
Bismarck/Gary/Fluffy
Bismarck was a 4.5 to 5m crocodile often seen swimming around the Cardwell jetty.
Bismark gained quite a following among locals who were devastated when he was tragically found dead floating in Meunga Creek in 2019.
The community was so moved by his death a memorial service was held to farewell the much-loved croc.
Bismark had been shot in the back of the head and was believed to be 80-100 years old.
TOWNSVILLE
Jupiter
Measuring at 4.6m, Jupiter was caught off Townsville’s main beach at The Strand in 2016.
The animal was relocated to the Billabong Sanctuary, emaciated, starving and missing two thirds of his teeth.
First spotted off Pallarenda, the estimated 65-year-old giant was hauled on to the beach around midnight by wildlife officers.
Bully
Weighing in at 500kg Bully was caught in the Herbert River in Halifax in 2015.
The 4.5m crocodile now resides in the same home as Jupiter at the Billabong Sanctuary.
In 2016 Bully fathered a hatch of 30 offspring with a rare albino hatchling dubbed Vanilla Face among the brood.
MACKAY AND WHITSUNDAYS
Fat guts
In 2019 a well-known Proserpine River crocodile Fat Guts was removed by wildlife officers after he was being illegally fed by people.
It is understood Fat Guts was feeding on foods such as dead wallabies and chicken carcasses being left by visitors and locals.
Fat Guts was named in the early 2000s and had taken to lurking around a popular spot called The Landing on Glen Isla Rd.
Nine metre monster
In the late 1880s a monstrous 9.7 metre crocodile was reportedly shot and killed from the window of a hotel in Mackay.
The croc was reportedly pulled from the Pioneer River, with its skin later going on display and rumours a showman purchased the crocodile’s remains.
In 2017 Habana man Greg Ellul said his late dad used to tell him about visiting the Riverview Hotel in River St with his father in the 1920s or early 1930s, paying sixpence to see the skin.
People stalker
In February 2023 wildlife officers euthanised a 3.8 metre crocodile after it posed a risk to the community following reports it stalked a surfer and a fisherman.
A member of the public spotted the croc approaching him and following him to shore while surfing at North Wall Beach.
The reptile was seen in the Mackay Marina and then days later it stalked at fisherman on the banks of Reliance Creek.
ROCKHAMPTON
Big Ben – 1872
Coming in at a whopping 6.8 metres is the beast known as Big Ben.
The salty was the king of Alligator Creek at Yaamba 152 years ago.
Big Ben was a figure of legend among the area’s indigenous people who claimed he was a man eater.
He was also thought to be one of the last of his species, notable for having a different, more vicious jaw structure to the crocodiles seen today.
His front teeth in the lower jaw fitted into holes in his upper jaw creating an unescapable lock for whatever poor creature he bit.
In 1872, a hunter named Goldino Columbo shot Big Ben in the head while out on the river, but was unable to finish the job or capture him.
The monstrous reptile’s body was later found washed up on the shore by John William Wilson, who was the architect responsible for designing 200 buildings in the region including the Heritage Hotel and the Queensland National Hotel in Mount Morgan.
When Big Ben was brought back to town his guts was cut open and 101kg of quartz, a collection of human bones and two smaller crocodiles were found.
His body was then stuffed and he was paraded around Queensland and New South Wales.
Port Alma croc – 1963
Almost 100 years after the capture of Big Ben a huge six metre crocodile was caught at Port Alma after it was seen swimming past the main wharves.
At the same time three men, who happened to be crocodile hunters arriving from Sydney in their yacht, had pulled into the port for much-needed repairs to their vessel’s keel.
“At that time we stayed in Port Alma for a month fixing a new keel on our boat,” Mr Schmid said.
Mr Schmid, who was also a photographer, shot the croc after he heard a man shouting from the main wharf that there was a crocodile in the water.
“I jumped up and grabbed my .303 rifle and shot the animal in the head,” Mr Schmid said.
Pinjarra the mega croc – 1980s
He may not live in Rockhampton, or Queensland, anymore – but the star attraction of Melbourne’s SeaLife aquarium called the Beef Capital home before moving to the big smoke.
Measuring just under six metres and weighing at a massive 750kg, the 65-year-old croc was rescued after being found on an Ingham cattle property after flooding in the 1980s.
For 30 years he lived at Koorana Crocodile Farm but made the move to Melbourne in 2013 after his fighting with other crocodiles became a problem.
His ‘girls’ had also stopped laying eggs.
Pinjarra is one of the biggest crocodiles in captivity in Australia.
Monster 100-year-old croc – 2017
The body of a monstrous 5.2m saltwater crocodile was discovered in the Fitzroy River in September 2017 after it was shot in the head and killed.
The ‘iconic’ croc was estimated to be between 80 and 100 years old.
After investigations into the shooting of the beast, Etna Creek man Luke Stephen Orchard was charged and later pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to killing the croc.
The Belmont Research Station farmhand made admissions to police about the shooting of the 5.26 metre male crocodile on the banks of the Fitzroy River on September 13, 2017.
He told officers the croc had been taking cattle.
Orchard was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
It is an offence under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 to take an estuarine crocodile without authority and there are greater penalties in place for the unlawful take of an ‘iconic’ crocodile, defined as 5 metres or greater in length.
The maximum penalty for the unlawful take of an ‘iconic’ crocodile is $28,383.75.
Jock the croc – 1980s
After the success of Pinjarra the crocodile making the trip from Rockhampton to Melbourne, Jock the croc went international.
Weighing more than 750kg and measuring more than five metres, Jock made the trip from Koorana Crocodile Farm at Rockhampton to Dubai in 2014 on-board a specially equipped Singapore Airlines jumbo jet.
Jock was caught in the ‘80s in Chinaman’s Creek at Cairns.
But the monster croc didn’t go alone, with his girlfriend of 15 years also moving overseas with him.
The pair went on to live at Dubai Aquarium and Discovery Centre in the Dubai Mall.
According to the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo website, the pair are known as King Croc and Queen Croc.
Rob the croc
Another croc caught in Cairns, before living in Rockhampton, to go global was Rob the croc and his girlfriend Mrs Rob.
The pair were bought from Hartley’s Creek Crocodile Farm in the ‘80s or ‘90s.
After the success of Jock and his croc girlfriend being flown to Dubai, Rob and Mrs Rob went on to be the star attractions at an underwater zoo and aquarium in Turkey.
GLADSTONE
Canoe point croc
In March 2022 footage emerged of a crocodile swimming at the popular Canoe Point near Tannum Sands.
A Gladstone woman shared her details of an encounter with the croc after walking along the beach with her daughter and dog.
She told The Observer the crocodile was coming straight for them and “legged it” out of the water with her dog and eldest daughter.
She said the crocodile eventually turned around and swam off.
WIDE BAY
Owanyilla croc
In 1964 Jim Greensill shot a 3.5m crocodile on Owanyilla.
It was then paraded around Maryborough pubs before the hide was tanned.
3.8 metre K’Gari croc
After first being seen in 2009, a 3.8m crocodile was finally captured by wildlife rangers in 2014 at Mungar.
The crocodile was first spotted on the banks of K’Gari in 2009, with images of it along the banks of the Mary River, near Maryborough, emerging in 2012.
The reptile was eventually captured by rangers using a nonlethal harpoon in 2014 after efforts, such as baits and trapping, failed.
The animal was then transferred to Koorana Crocodile farm.
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