by Kerry Larsen

Port Douglas Police have warned that a major accident at the Mowbray River bridge is only a matter of time if crocodile sightseers don’t stop endangering motorists trying to catch a glimpse of the pre-historic beasts.

The busy school holiday period has seen scores of sightseeing motorists stop on the shoulders of the Captain Cook Highway bridge to see two large crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks of the Mowbray River, or slow down to almost a standstill on the bridge itself to see one from their cars.

Port Douglas Officer-in-Charge Sergeant Damian Meadows said while they were yet to receive an official complaint, motorists were being warned that a serious traffic accident was a reality if the practice didn’t cease.

“Not only is it an offence to stop on a bridge, but there’s a potential for a very serious accident,” Sergeant Meadows said.

“The southern approach to the bridge is also a blind curve and takes considerable distance to stop at 100km/hr.

“And the shoulders on either side of the bridge are insufficient to walk on and that creates the potential for someone to be struck by a car.”

Sergeant Meadows said while there were small signs erected on the approaches to the bridge, many people became ignorant and disregarded them.

“Regular patrols of the bridge are being carried out and offending motorists will be charged,” he said.

And if you’re looking to get up close and personal with a croc, perhaps it may be wiser to visit one of the many zoos within the region to see one in captivity, or take a guided cruise up the Daintree River or Dickson Inlet to see some in the wild – safely.