Families with children should be banned from camping in unfenced areas on K’gari (Fraser Island) to protect them from dingo attacks, a Queensland mayor demands.
Nine of the last 16 “high-risk” dingo attacks this year have involved children under 17, according to data from the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation.
The most recent incident involved a four-year-old girl who was airlifted to hospital after being bitten in the chest by a dingo earlier this month.
The increasing number of incidents prompted Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour to write a letter to the state government, demanding that families with children under 12 be restricted to fenced-off areas of the island.
“It’s getting to the point where you start to worry about whether the next accident is going to be fatal or not,” Cr Seymour said.
“Given the number of attacks, the ever-changing nature of the attacks and the risk of death here, I just don’t think this is an appropriate place for children.”
Fraser Coast Regional Council Mayor George Seymour fears the next dingo attack on K’gari could be fatal. (ABC Wide Bay: Lucy Loram)
Environment Minister Leanne Linard told ABC that visitors to K’gari under the age of 14 are already advised to camp in areas with dingo-deterrent fencing.
“The risk is not limited to campsites,” said Ms Linard.
“People on the island must remain vigilant at all times.”
Response from tourists
All villages on K’gari and several campsites, including Waddy Point and Cornwells, are surrounded by dingo deterrent fences.
Austrian tourist Dorris Schmalwieser believed families should have the freedom to stay wherever they wanted – even though her family stayed at the Kingfisher, a resort surrounded by a dingo fence, during their holiday on K’gari.
“I was a little scared, but now we think we’ll just stay in the group and hope that everything will be fine,” said Ms Schmalwieser.
“We just told the children not to feed the dingoes and not to go anywhere alone. So hopefully everything will be OK.”
Austrian tourist Dorris Schmalwieser says she chose to stay with her family at the Kingfisher Resort, which is surrounded by a dingo fence. (ABC Wide Bay: Lucy Loram)
Terry Sheehan, who regularly visits K’gari from the Sunshine Coast, said he understood the mayor’s concerns.
“I think (restrictions) would be fair because the dingoes are part (of the island),” he said.
“If you were to go up to a tiger and pet it, what would happen? It would tear you to pieces. It is also a wild animal.”
Sunshine Coast tourist Terry Sheehan says camping restrictions are fair to protect children from wild animals. (ABC Wide Bay: Lucy Loram)
“Difficult to control”
The World Heritage-listed island of K’gari attracts an estimated 400,000 people each year for day trips, resort stays or camping trips, making it a major driver of the local economy.
In 2022-23, visitors to the Fraser Coast region spent $730 million, according to data from Queensland Tourism.
The iconic native dingo, traditionally called wongari, is synonymous with the island’s rugged beauty and part of its attraction, but also poses a threat.
In the last 16 “high-risk interactions” that rangers have recorded this year, the victims were attacked, pinched or bitten.
“When families go there they are told they must keep an eye on their children at arm’s length at all times – it is not a pleasant experience for the children or the parents,” Cr Seymour said.
The Queensland Government has erected dingo deterrent fences around all towns and several campgrounds in K’gari. (ABC News: Kerrin Binnie)
Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation ranger Darren Blake said the entire island could be used by families as long as parents remained vigilant.
“It would be really difficult to monitor restrictions for children under 12,” Blake said.
“It’s really up to the parents to decide whether they want to go into a fenced area or not.
“I will spend the next holidays there. My children will have a lot of fun, but I will be on my guard.
“If you really want to relax, go to the Sunny Coast or Gold Coast… where there are no wild dingoes on the beach.”
Butchulla Ranger Darren Blake says parents must always keep their children close to them on K’gari. (ABC Wide Bay: Lucy Loram)
Ms Linnard urged all visitors to beware of dingoes and warned of immediate fines for anyone behaving incorrectly.
“It is also important that everyone follows the rules. This will reduce the dingoes’ habituation to the animals and reduce the risk of an attack,” she said.
Nine of the 16 “high-risk attacks” recorded in K’gari this year involved children. (Delivered: DES)
The mayor said he would rather young families spend their holidays elsewhere than risk their safety.
“If the number of people camping (on K’gari) goes down – and I think there needs to be a reduction – then that’s a good thing,” he said.
“My concern is for the safety of children and the preservation of wilderness.”
