Camp moved after croc tent invasion

The camp site at a Northern Territory billabong where a crocodile tried to get into a tent has been moved.

Campers at 4 Mile Hole in Kakadu must now set up their tents 50m from the water.

The national park's crocodile manager, Garry Lindner, said: "Visitor safety is our top priority and camping close to the water's edge is clearly an unacceptable risk."

Bus driver Noel Bleakley and his family received the fright of their lives when they woke to find a crocodile trying to get inside their tent last year.

Noel's son Mark spooked the 4m saltie, which ran off and crashed straight into a tree.
Indentations were left in the banyan tree.

"We camped about 7m from the bank and I thought that would be far enough – but obviously not," Mr Bleakley said.

The new camp site opens this weekend after the billabong was closed for the Wet.

Mr Lindner said 50m was considered a safe distance to discourage crocodiles from travelling overland.

"Kakadu is crocodile country and there are far more crocs around since the ban on hunting in the 1970s," he said.

"Saltwater crocs appear to be becoming less fearful and more inquisitive as they become accustomed to people.

"While camping is relocated back from the water's edge, visitors will be able to use the area closer to the billabong with its shady trees during the day, when they are much more alert and aware of potential dangers.

"The camping area remains set out along the length of the billabong to allow for a dispersed, remote bush camping experience.

"This is a very popular fishing spot, and anglers will still be able to access their boats tied at the edge of the billabong.

"But it is important that visitors stay on the alert.

"To discourage inquisitive crocodiles, they should be particularly careful not to leave fish scraps and rubbish close to the camp."

Well, doh!

They camped 7 metres from a waterhole in Kakadu?

It never fails to amaze me why there are those that think something as large as a 4metre saltwater croc can't easily move 7 metres on land from a waterhole or bank. They have legs for this purpose, well demonstrated here as the croc "ran off and crashed into a tree". Noel Bleakley should count his lucky stars.

The croc must have heard it was the tourist season.

Hi Bokhara, well at least it didn't eat silly old Noel. If anyone really wants to be sick I could relate my husband's story of the croc which ate one of his employees near Weipa, FNQ.

me i'd rather eat breakfast at lilybank b&b

andrewdavid

Pat, now you've got us all intrigued, the eaten employee. Would it be too ghoulish to ask for the story?

Susan, its not nice, but here we go. Husband worked at Comalco bauxite mine in Weipa and three employees decided to go bush on days off for a bit of feral pig shooting. Alarm was raised by two of them when their mate (a bloke from Perth) didn't come back to their campsite. So search party sent out, beside the banks of what looked like a pristine billabong (sandy sides, clear water, but deep in middle); they came upon a broken and bent tree sapling, hanging over the water. Human fingernails in trunk - so they dynamited the billabong. Bits of cattle first emerged and then came a stunned monster saltwater croc - 7 and a half metres. Croc was shot and cut open, poor bloke was inside it in two pieces. This croc's skull was a metre across and I think it still in the exhibition on Green Island, near Cairns.

The local cop from Weipa took photos and was selling them at the pub that night for $5 a pop.

Thanks Pat, that's one hell of a cautionary tale!

Beautifully told, I should have added.

Does anyone remember the story of the Australian philosopher who was taken from her kayak in Kakadu and survived several death rolls with a croc? I think she managed to climb up a tree, I remember reading it in the Sydney Morning Herald. I think her name was Val something...

Susan, I read that story in a book of collected tales from Australia. Really makes you respect crocs and that woman who survived. Nightmares R Us!!!
Sally in HOT Seattle