Share and Follow
Aussies were warned against swimming in one of the country’s biggest tourist spots after a family were forced to surrender their gazebo and thongs to a massive croc.
Jeremaine Agale shared an ominous photo of the Wenlock River near Cape York at Queensland‘s northern tip, on the To The Cape York And Back Information Facebook page on Thursday alongside a dire warning.
‘I know we live in croc country but always be vigilant. A pic from a local family enjoying time on the Wenlock River cooling off until a visitor shows up,’ he wrote.
The photo showed a crocodile floating in the middle of the river, which is a popular swimming spot for adventurers heading to the very top of Australia.
A family swimming in Queensland’s northern Wenlock River spotted a massive crocodile (pictured, the crocodile floating to the right of the gazebo)
The Wenlock River (above) is a popular swim spot for tourists heading to Cape York at Queensland’s northern tip, but is known to locals as a crocodile hotspot
The viral post quickly gained more than 4,600 reactions and hundreds of comments.
‘I was told in Darwin that for every one that you see there is another seven,’ one person wrote.
‘Lucky Kings have their gazebos on sale at the moment…that one lives there now,’ another commenter joked.
‘Wow, look how well it blends in,’ another said.
However, many locals wrote the photo was a timely reminder for tourists.
‘The Wenlock is full of crocodiles and a lot bigger than that one in the picture,’ one person wrote.
Locals said the massive croc (circled in red) serves as a warning to tourists planning a trip to northern Queensland
Much of northern Queensland is considered ‘croc country’ with an average of one fatal attack every three years (pictured, a map of crocodile habitats)
‘Never swim in dirty water, always make sure the water is crystal clear so you can see the bottom but even still your not safe because that’s their territory.’
Read Related Also: World Cup dreams shattered for ‘heartbroken’ family as failed fan ID system prevents trip to Qatar
Australia’s north is infamous for being a crocodile hotspot with large, dangerous saltwater crocs often frequenting freshwater creeks and rivers.
Despite Queensland MP Bob Katter’s infamous rant that ‘every three months a person is torn to pieces by a crocodile in north Queensland’, the actual figure is a lot less.
But it’s still too high to get comfortable.
Data from the government shows there were 12 deaths in Queensland from 1975 to 2021 and 41 non-fatal attacks, averaging one fatal crocodile attack every three years in the state.
To stay up to date on Queensland’s latest croc sightings, visit the Queensland Department of Environment and Science’s website.
Queensland’s northern tip at Cape York (above) is the highest point in Australia and a massive travel destination