Fitzroy croc killed

[Matt Flynn]

http://www.news.com.au/national/queensl ... 5410bd149d

[Matt Flynn]

Tiz a big bastard ... http://www.news.com.au/national/queensl ... 5410bd149d#

[ronje]

I've only ever seen 2 crocs of 5 metres ( that I reckon) in the wild.

1 in Roper river and 1 in Fitzroy freshwater above the barrage.

Attached is a GE print above barrage in Rockhampton.

A big one is currently being looked for about 11km upstream. Reported sizes range from 4m to 6m. I've seen him from a distance and he's big alright but he isn't 6m. He's been hanging around the sand dredges and boat ramp that operate there making the workers nervous.

2nd one is 23km upstream and I've seen him from about 40m when he was sunbaking. He's 5m alright.

3rd one was near Alligator Ck 43km upstream and was the dead one found the other day. Alligator Ck is a tributary of Fitzroy. It was called Alligator Ck for a good reason. I'd never seen this one but had heard about him.

These are 3 different crocs.

Lots of smaller ones to 4m or so and I'm sure there are other bigger ones as well.

There are 2 Alligator Ck tributaries (1 in fresh side and 1 in salt side) plus a Crocodile Ck (salt side) plus a Gavial Ck (salt side)..

These come as a surprise to visiting fishermen as they are told crocs are only in Cairns, Gulf or NT.

[Matt Flynn]

Interesting to know they are that common.

In my Central Qld travels I saw a few in the Proserpine River, but only fairly small. Didn't see any in the lower Fitzroy but I was only there a few days.

[dannett]

Interesting to know they are that common.

In my Central Qld travels I saw a few in the Proserpine River, but only fairly small. Didn't see any in the lower Fitzroy but I was only there a few days.

There is a guy on youtube (Andy) who fishes Proserpine River regularly, he has put up footage of 4m plus crocs on the river. Might not be many, but they are there.

[DrRuff]

That's interesting Ronje, I grew up in Yeppoon and have spent my fair share of time water skiing above the barrage. The only place we ever saw crocs was in coorooman creek, we put it down to the croc farm being up there and reports that they'd get out everytime it flooded!

[ronje]

I wouldn't go in the water above the barrage. Been a few removed from there.

Most famous was King Wally trapped and removed the night Wally Lewis played his last game of State of Origin. He was about 4m and had been giving the rowers a bit of a fright at times. He wasn't far upstream from the barrage. Apparently the rowers got too close to Wally's tree and he lunged out and grabbed an oar. Story was that rowing hull had clear air under it as rower shook off Wally and hull looked like one of those skating water spiders as they made tracks out of there.

John Lever ended up with him.

About 5 years ago there were about 5-6 places downstream (salt) where I'd be pretty confident of seeing a croc. Not every time but enough to feel confident. Now there are about 10 places like that down river.

3 live on the edge of the town reach. 2 ladies of about 2.8 - 3m live in Gavial Ck on southern edge of town reach. Plenty of grassy banks there for nesting. Been hatchlings caught in fresh area in grass in Gavial.

The male (Tick Tock) lives between Gavial Ck and Devils Elbow in Frenchman's Ck on northern side. Tick Tock because people think its just a matter of time. He's about 3.9 or 4m.

These 3 have taken up residence near town as they regularly swim through town under the 3 bridges on their way up to barrage fish ladder for fresh water. Gives pedestrians on bridges a thrill.

The numbers are not like NQ or NT but there's enough to keep you on edge. (Me anyway).

Crocs have always been upstream of Rocky especially before barrage was constructed in mid-seventies. Excellent grass nesting upstream. One of 3.9m was shot for supposedly taking cattle near Baralaba 350km up river.

The largest reported shot here was Big Ben many years ago of 23ft. He ended up stuffed and adorned the bar in a local pub which changed its name to Alligator Hotel. Don't know about 23ft but that's what was claimed.

Another of 20ft shortly after that.

Sunday sport was to go on picnic boat excursion upriver to 18 mile island (18 miles above town) taking potshots at crocs on sand/mud bars on the way.

There used to be another one from a fish trap near the mouth of Coorooman Ck on the wall of the Emu Park hotel for many years up until the late sixties. Before John Lever's croc farm days.

[ronje]

Mislead you there.

Big Ben wasn't 23 ft.

He was 22ft 6 inches. 6.86 metres.

Got a photo of him as well.

https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/n ... c/3229509/

[ronje]

Caught.

https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/n ... c/3296952/

Looks like coppers extracted bullet, tested it, combined it with other info and found the rifle that fired the projectile at a local property.

[theodosius]

That's good news

[ronje]

'nother one that I came across yesterday downstream in Fitzroy.

4m.