Community backlash sparks action on crocodiles
CROCODILE MANAGEMENT
DOUGLAS Shire Mayor Julia Leu has responded to community backlash over crocodile management by requesting an urgent meeting with Environment Minister Dr Steven Miles.
Leu has demanded to meet Miles in person following claims the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) was not taking concerns on crocodiles seriously.
It comes after Four Mile Beach was closed on September 29 following two crocodile sightings - one near the main swimming area - which prompted a heated response from local businesses demanding action.
Readers also reacted strongly to a recent Newsport column outlining community concerns over crocodiles, and Leu has wasted no time getting on the front foot.
“In recent weeks there has been widespread reports and media interest in large crocodiles presenting aggressive and potentially predatory behaviour to both tourists and local residents within the Shire in public areas and beaches,” Leu wrote in a letter to Miles.
“There has also been several instances where water based tourism activities have ceased due to risk of crocodile attack to participants which has caused economic hardship to local business owners.
“Council is currently working with the Daintree Marketing Cooperative (DMC) to gather information from local tourism operators. The general consensus is that in recent months, crocodiles have come larger; there are more of them and that they have possibly changed their behaviour.
“This is having some immediate impact on how people interact with the ocean, some recent business closures, and both locals and visitors are increasingly reluctant to go in the water. Local residents who have been swimming in our beautiful and pristine beaches for many years, are now having second thoughts.”
The Port Douglas Surf Life Saving Club is one local group being directly affected by the increase in croc sightings.
Vice President Michael Bolt has long said more needs to be done on crocodile management in Port Douglas, and reiterated his concerns to Council last week after speaking with cautious tourists while on beach patrol.
“As always, we have people asking if it is safe to swim but this time there was a different slant as I had a couple who had just arrived from England approach me and ask if it was safe to walk on the beach,” Bolt said.
"They had heard, that due to the prevalence of crocodiles, it was too risky to go for a long walk on the beach.
“So it’s great to see Council is reacting to community concerns and there are proactive steps being taken.”
Some of the concerns Leu will raise with Miles is the current lack of resources allocated to crocodile management by the Queensland Government, and ‘disengagement’ between the EHP and local tourism operators.
As reported in the Weekend Post on Saturday, a total of 15 crocodiles have been removed from the wild in Port Douglas since 2012, the fourth most in Queensland.
A crocodile survey and monitoring program has been earmarked for Port Douglas as part of the state Government’s $5.8 million commitment to crocodile management over the next three years.
The survey, which will begin in Cape York in November, will help compare crocodile numbers in river systems against those taken from as far back as the 1970s.
