Camping zones on K’gari/Fraser Island closed until further notice after dingoes attacked two women at Queensland tourist hot spot
- Dingoes involved in series of attacks against visitors
- Parts of the island were closed off on Friday
Several camping areas on K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, have been closed until further notice due to “increased threatening” dingo behaviour.
The Queensland Department of Environment and Science issued an alert on Friday afternoon announcing the immediate closure of zones three, four and five.
Those with bookings will be offered a change, refund or credit.
“This closure is necessary to reduce negative dingo interactions and enable ongoing monitoring and dingo management,” the warning reads.
The closed camping zones are located on the east coast of K’gari between The Pinnacles and Poyungan Rocks.
Other camping areas in zones one, two and six, and fenced areas at Eli, One Tree, Wongai and Cornwells will remain open.
Signs on K’gari warn visitors to keep children within reach and never attempt to feed or touch dingoes
The announcement comes a day after rangers voiced their displeasure over a video of a man offering a water bottle to a dingo near Waddy Point Beach.
“Following the recent incidents on K’gari, it is disappointing that someone would consciously choose to interact with a wongari (dingo),” senior forest ranger Linda Behrendorff said.
“People need to understand that just one interaction like this can put wongari on the path to habituation, and ignoring this means ignoring the impact on human safety and on the wongari.”
“It is poor people’s behavior that causes many of the negative interactions on the island.”
Authorities warned visitors and residents of K’gari to be vigilant around dingoes after several attacks in recent months
Also on Thursday, two women were attacked by the same pair of dingoes in separate incidents.
The first occurred around 11:45 a.m. when two dingoes approached a group of seven adults at Eli Creek and bit a woman in the thigh.
A short time later, another woman was bitten in the thigh after falling.
All dingo interactions must be reported to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, with on-the-spot fines for anyone caught feeding or disturbing dingoes.