After yet another dingo attack on K’gari (Fraser Island), visitors are being urged to never walk alone there.
Rangers are currently investigating the latest incident in which a woman was bitten on the hands near the Winnam camping area. She suffered two lacerations to the middle fingers on both hands.
The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) said the woman had walked away from the camping area to the ocean when she was quickly approached by five dingoes, with a tagged dingo lunging at her and biting her on the hands.
The Queensland Ambulance Service treated the woman, and she was advised to see a doctor.
This dingo was unlawfully fed fish at Waddy Point on K'gari late last year. PIC: DESI
People at the camping area had previously received be dingo-safe education from Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers.
DETSI says it is believed the pack of dingoes was hanging around the camping area after getting access to a large amount of unsecured food from a different campsite earlier this week.
One grey nomad, John B, was on the island at the time of the incident and said that, during his five-day camping trip to K’gari, he found the dingo situation becoming a ‘real problem’.
“The first night we had six dingoes walk into camp and they had no fear of the three adults,” he said. “Thumping our sticks on the ground or waving them about and yelling had very little effect on these tagged dingoes.”
John says the group kept a safe camp, with no food in the tent, rubbish in a sealed bag and box, and they even dumped their washing-up water on the beach.
“Even with that, while we were away, a dingo ripped a couple of holes in our tent windows flaps,” he said. “Every time we stopped on the beach, went fishing, went to one of the ‘attractions’ such as Eli Creek, a dingo or two would also show up … in the case of Eli Creek there were hundreds of people nearby, many being small children.”
John said he was told by a ranger that the authorities tag dingoes if they show signs of being a bother to campers.
“I most have encountered 50 tagged dingoes,” said John. “It’s time to start having a more aggressive management of habitualised dingoes on Fraser before a child gets killed or seriously injured.”
DETSI says visitors to the island must be aware of the risks, and should always walk in groups, carry a stick, and keep food and rubbish secured.
Park rangers will be conducting additional patrols over the coming weekend.
Are you a Grey Nomad member yet? Click here to find out about the discounts, competitions and other benefits on offer.
Round them up & put them in a large fenced area before they do more serious damage.
Fence the tourists in because they certainly can’t cope in an environment with wild animals. And that is the point, they are wild animals and we all know they live there so don’t attract them or mess with them.