Central Queenslanders warned after croc seen eating dog

Drone footage has captured a monster 4m crocodile with a large animal in its sharp jaws. VIDEO HERE

The footage comes only two weeks after a number of crocodiles were spotted at the North Rockhampton Golf Club.

Shocking footage has captured a 4m crocodile swimming through the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton with a large black dog in its mouth.

The stunned tourist who took the footage, Minco de Bruin, said he captured the video of the giant saltwater crocodile close to the Fitzroy Bridge in Rockhampton.

“Crazy!” he wrote in a post on social media.

A Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation spokesperson said they were investigating the incident and warned locals about the dangers of crocs.
“We are aware of and have reviewed a video circulating online of a crocodile which has killed a dog in the lower reaches of the Fitzroy River, and appreciate how distressing this will have been for the pet’s owners,” the spokesperson said.

“Crocodiles are apex predators that use ambush tactics, such as lying and waiting at the water’s edge, to capture their prey.

“We urge everyone in Croc Country to keep themselves, their family members and pet dogs well back from the water’s edge.
“No water body in Croc Country can be considered to be free from crocodiles.”

One local posted that he had seen the monster croc eating a swan on that stretch of the Fitzroy River while on River Cruises CQ.

Mr de Bruin said he and another person were parked on Bowlin Rd near the river in Rockhampton when they heard a splash and he took the drone out.

“Not faking this,” he posted.

“Showed it to 2 locals just after I filmed and (they) said I should put the footage online.”

The video shows a large crocodile eating an animal in the Fitzroy River. Footage captured by Minco de Bruin

Renowned croc expert Koorana Crocodile Farm owner John Lever said the crocodile appeared to be more than 4m-long.

“The thing that I think should be focused on is that this is the time of year when crocodiles are active, it’s the time of the year of nesting females, and it’s the time of year that the males are most hungry.

“Dogs go down to the water’s edge quite often – they’re curious animals.

“And crocodiles are water-edge feeders, that’s where they look for their tucker. And crocodiles will generally stay in the shallows to break their food up and eat it.”

The video shows a large crocodile eating an animal in the Fitzroy River. Supplied: Minco de Bruin

It comes only two weeks after crocodiles were spotted at the North Rockhampton Golf Club. 

It’s far from the first time a croc has been spotted in the Fitzroy River, and some residents are fed up.

In 2024, Mr Lever said the recreational area of the river should be classed as an ‘active removal zone’ by the Queensland Government.

“There are too many people using this area of the river with too many crocs in it, as an active removal zone any crocodile can be removed and that makes a healthy and safer area of the river for people to go about their recreational activities,” he said at the time.

“When they become visible to people and they’re there it’s a worry, it’s a real worry.”

Last year, Rockhampton Water Ski Club president Peter Darby said the club had seen a lower number of memberships because of crocodile concerns.

“We’ve struggled to maintain memberships in the last 12 to 24 months because of crocodile sightings in the river,” he said.

“No longer can we just ignore the fact crocodile sightings are not impacting recreation on the river, the ongoing impacts of crocodile sightings are causing us to come to the party and ask to rezone our river.”

Originally published as Central Queenslanders warned after croc seen eating dog