New plan to manage crocodiles in Cairns

The Newman Government has announced a new estuarine crocodile management plan for Cairns that puts the safety of people first.

Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection Andrew Powell said it was a local croc plan for local people.

“The Newman Government is taking the concerns of residents and visitors of far north Queensland very seriously and is giving community safety the highest priority,” Mr Powell said.

The new program sets up a three tier approach, similar to that adopted in the Northern Territory. 

The highest tier aims to pro-actively remove all crocodiles from designated areas and actively prevent more crocs from entering them (Zone 1).

A feasibility study will be carried out to see if physical barriers such as weirs, rock walls, gates and fences can be put in place to prevent crocodiles from entering a number of sites identified by the Council. Those areas would then be designated as Zone 1 areas.

Mr Powell said the second tier (Zone 2) will see crocodiles that pose a threat to community safety through their size or behaviour removed from designated areas.

“Zone 2 areas will be actively managed by EHP rangers and Cairns Regional Council,” he said.

After consultation with the Cairns Regional Council Zone 2 areas will be created for the northern beaches, Lake Placid, the recreation spot on Freshwater Creek and a number of boat ramps around the city.

In addition, if a crocodile is reported in any of the densely settled areas of Cairns  it will be removed, as is the current practice.

Zone 3 will see any ‘crocodiles of concern’, those which have displayed threatening behaviour, removed. 

This applies to all areas that are not Zone 1 or 2.

“The Newman government has listened to the concerns of Queenslanders in the far north and rather than stick to the ‘one size fits all’ approach of the previous government and focusing purely on cities, we have acknowledged the increasing interaction between crocs and people,” he said.

“We have worked with local councils to come up with location specific plans to get the balance right between public safety and conservation of crocodiles.

“We will begin recruitment of additional rangers immediately but recruitment and training will take time so the plan will be phased in over coming months.”

Mr Powell said that the Newman Government had recognised the fine work that Cairns surf lifesavers do in detecting crocodiles and shepherding them from popular beaches and has undertaken to fund the purchase of two inflatable rescue boats to support their efforts.

“Individual Crocodile Management Plans have also been developed for Hinchinbrook, Cassowary Coast and Townsville local government areas,” he said.

The Government has listened to the views held by all four councils that management efforts had to be backed up by strong public education, and would be expanding the Crocwise program.

“This is a ‘can-do’ policy on managing crocodiles that has been arrived at after consultation with local councils and is based on both local knowledge and scientific evidence.”

“The public should still be aware that Northern and central Queensland is croc country, and there could be large and potentially dangerous saltwater crocodiles in any waterway or body of water.

“That is why it is important to always be croc wise in croc country.”

Be Croc Wise and:

 ·    Obey crocodile warning signs

·    Never swim in water where crocodiles may live

·    Never stand at the water’s edge or on an overhanging log, stand a few meters back for fishing or cast netting

·    Never provoke, harass or feed crocodiles

·    Never leave food scraps, fish frames or bait at the water’s edge, near a camp site or boat ramp as this may attract crocs to the area

·    Always supervise children

 Further information on crocodiles and being Crocwise is available at www.ehp.qld.gov.au

 [ENDS] 19 December 2012

Media Contact: Ken Vernon 0431 027 017