Giant croc seen in Mary River near Maryborough (map pics attached)

[GraemeW]

Report from Fraser Coast Chronicle today.


Link >> http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com....in-mary-river/

Giant croc seen in Mary River


2nd May 2012 6:41 AM

WILDLIFE rangers will today try to capture a large crocodile seen in the Mary River near Maryborough. Environment and Heritage Protection Minister Andrew Powell yesterday confirmed rangers were preparing to capture the 3.5 metre saltwater crocodile reported to the department by a commercial fisherman on Tuesday.
"The crocodile was sighted on a mudbank about two kilometres from Beaver Rock boat ramp, opposite Bros Island," Mr Powell said.
Rangers yesterday confirmed the presence of the crocodile and made arrangements for a trap to be set in the Mary River this morning.
"In line with the crocodile management policy, any crocodile caught south of the Boyne River (near Gladstone) will be targeted for removal and relocated to a crocodile farm or zoo.
"Although there have been a number of anecdotal reports of crocodiles sighted in the Great Sandy Straits and Mary River over recent years, this is the first confirmed sighting.
"I'm advised that the area where the crocodile was seen is well upstream from where anyone would be likely to go swimming, but it would be used by people fishing, catching prawns and pumping worms and yabbies," Mr Powell said.
"Although this is a rare sighting of a saltwater crocodile this far south, people need to be sensible and stay away from the area."

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Report from Australian newspaper >> http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1226344120711

It states: 'A 2010 environment department survey examined 48 rivers and found no evidence of crocs between the Fitzroy River to the north and Maryborough, which lies west of Fraser Island.'

[Fafnir]

Wouldn't want to be kayaking in that area. If there's one there, makes me wonder if there are others in the Great Sandy Strait?

[GraemeW]

Was told this story.
He swears it is true.

Many years ago a mate of mine was fishing in the Burrum River & snagged his cast net.
He leant over the edge of his boat to feel what it was caught on.
He said he was feeling around & felt something, feeeling around a bit more realised it seemed like a foot then claws.
He then explored further along a felt a snout then teeth !!
He said he almost broke his elbow on the side of his boat getting his arm out of the water.
He gave the net a few tugs after recovering from the initial shock.
The croc then opened its jaws & let his net go.
I was told that that wasnt his first encounter with one in that area.
He had seen one on the bank sunning itself.
Told me it was black.
The incident with the cast net was the first up close & personal encounter with one in the area.

He told one other person of the incident at the time (I didn't know him then).
Next day the whole town knew about it & the day after a big story was in the local paper about crocs in the area.

[Peter4]

This sighting seems quite genuine and traps are being set in the Mary River today.

My only angst is the label of a 3.5m croc as a 'giant'. If it was 6m maybe....

[fuglee]

When I was a kid we lived in Maryborough in the early sixties My mates parents had a farm out at Tairo on the Mary river We used to go swimming there and pinch watermelons till the next door farmer shot a fair lump of a croc there They put it on display in JACK CASEYS garage and charged I think it was threepence to get in We had to find another swimming hole but we didnt give up pinching watermelons though

[Si]

Why does it need to be removed to a zoo?? I know that it stated it was policy but its just doing its thing in IT'S environment.

[thedeckie]

This sighting seems quite genuine and traps are being set in the Mary River today.

My only angst is the label of a 3.5m croc as a 'giant'. If it was 6m maybe....

I rekon if a 3.5m croc swam up beside you, you would probably say it was a giant.....right after you cleaned your undies.

Regardless of size, no doubt that they will all eat you.

Cheers

Paul

[lucee81]

I rekon if a 3.5m croc swam up beside you, you would probably say it was a giant.....right after you cleaned your undies.

Regardless of size, no doubt that they will all eat you.

Cheers



Paul

I will say a 3.5mt croc is not giant, in a canoe/kayak maybe but it is stated in the paper as GIANT, I would be hesitant to call it pretty big let alone giant. Just my 0.02¢ worth

[ifishcq1]

We have a few proper ones around here, almost right in the middle of town and they never get moved on unless they start getting too friendly
a 3.5m baby croc hardly worth a mention really when chances are there is a real one not far away
one that size is hardly likely to bother anything as big as an adult anyway other than in breeding season for territorial reasons more so than a feed
as the temps drop they slow down and probably wouldn't even raise a glance at a kayaker, after winter when it warms up again it might be a different story
Cheers

[ifishcq1]

I checked out the pics on the croc in The Mary and it doesn't look anything like 3.5 lucky to be 3m from an educated guess
so here are a couple of local pics from a legit 3.6m right near the boat ramp to compare to




cheers

[WalrusLike]

Ya gotta love that self satisfied smirk they always have on their snout.

[ifishcq1]

Yeah you're right, I never looked at that way before

cheers

[rumy1]

I live in Gladstone and have never seen a croc, be interested in any stories about them and where they have been spotted in Central or South QLD. Has any-one seen one in Gladstone area?

[Mr__Bean]

Is it saltwater at Maryborough or does it turn fresh by then?

Darren

[-Chris-]

Is it saltwater at Maryborough or does it turn fresh by then?

Darren

It's salt mate, as to the above comment they are definitely around Gladstone with confirmed sightings in the Boyne and the Narrows. Have heard of plenty of sightings in Pancake creek to the south also, which I guess to anyone sceptical doesn't sound so far fetched now does it.