North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

375km upstream from Rockhampton sits the tiny town of Baralaba. Its on the Dawson River which is a major tributary of the Fitzroy. Its in the middle of cattle country and of more recent times coal.

Being so far upstream, little thought was given to the possibility of the existence of saltwater crocodiles. Especially large ones. Before construction of the barrage at Rockhampton in the mid-seventies, tidal influence extended for some 120 km from the Fitzroy mouth. Certainly not 375km.

Intermittent reports of cattle/dogs missing and unconfirmed sightings existed.

When the existence of a croc at Ashfield station reach of the river was confirmed, the local decision was that it was a potential danger to people who regularly swam in the river. The croc had to go. And it did.

However, the size of the animal was a surprise. It was displayed above the entrance to the local service station for many years and then disappeared. It was meant as a reminder to people that there were risks at/in the Dawson River and to be vigilant. Even that far from the coast. Over time, stories about the Baralaba croc increased its size in peoples' minds until it was over 10m!

Some historical evidence has come to hand.

The newspaper link shows a photo of the croc hoisted in the air. No doubt at all that it was a very large animal. The newspaper talks about 200km upstream but it was 200 miles. It also talks about the croc being paraded around on the back of a blitz truck.

Attached is a separate photo of the blitz truck with croc on it an angle to prevent drooping over the back along with 5-6 kids standing beside it.

I'd be grateful if somebody more experienced than I could guesstimate a size.

CQ doesn't have a croc population anything like the NT or NQ but they do exist here and in increasing numbers over the last few years. Especially on the freshwater side of the barrage (the Baralaba side). I've seen some big crocs on the Daly and the Roper and a croc I saw the other day 20km upstream of the barrage was as large as any I've seen on those 2 NT rivers (with the exception of one monster on the Roper that was better than 5m).

So big ones do exist here alright and in the time relating to the above story, they did in larger numbers and further upstream.

http://myellafarm.blogspot.com.au/2007/ ... -1953.html

Anyway, a bit of history.

The tray on the blitz looks to be the 12' version, so at a guess I'd say the croc was between 13-14'.

Closer to 10 feet than 10 m!
Looks about 3-4 m job, but to those kids, ill bet it looked like a dragoñ, a memory they would have for their lives.

Thanks for that info about the blitz truck Graham. Interesting history behind the CMP vehicles.

U are the man to talk to about this stuff.

Using the wheel diam it looks like a 12ft tray alright.

That made it easy enough with a bit of Pythagoras thrown in.

14ft + change. In "tupperware talk" 4.3m.