You definitely need to know how to protect yourself and your family from a dingo attack on Fraser Island. We have previously written about dingos here and here, so check them out if you need to know more.
There has also been many publicised attacks and tragically the death of a young boy on the island many years ago.
As cute and friendly as they look they are very cunning, very fast and can be very nasty.
It’s estimated over 150 dingoes inhabit Fraser Island. The wild dingoes rove all around the island to mate and hunt for food.
Often they look thin and emancipated but this is their natural lean appearance. They’re not starving so don’t feed them as this only encourages interaction and can result in an attack. Small children are vulnerable and are more likely to be seen as prey.
Dingoes appear out of nowhere and without warning, and they can outrun adults easily. When children run and scream this behaviour only excites them and as a result children are often the victim of many attacks.
We have had a few scary encounters ourselves, often been stalked on our beach walks and just recently chased into waist deep water trying to escape from two of them.
The private holiday homes seem to be a popular scavenging route where they know rubbish bins are full and the smell of steak cooking on the BBQ makes a visit even more enticing.
Consequently with humans inadvertently or intentionally feeding dingoes they have become scavengers.
They rely on a quick and easy meals from bins and visitors camp sites. Furthermore they are a pack animal and roam far and wide in the search for food.
Just like any other wild animal, wolves, hyenas and lions only the fittest and strongest survive.
Like all the other wildlife on Fraser Island the dingoes are protected. It is an offence to feed or make food easily available to them.
You are not allowed to intentionally attract or disturb a dingo anywhere on the island whether on private or public land.
Penalties do apply and people are encouraged to report people that disobey and do the wrong thing.
Here is a few Dingo safety tips to keep yourself and your family safe
- If you spot a Dingo while driving and want to take a photo, stay in your vehicle. Do not drive at them or get too close
- Do not feed them or intentionally attract them closer. It is illegal, you can be reported by someone and heavily fined
- If you are camping ensure that all your food and rubbish is securely stowed away. Nothing worse than finding they have ripped open your bags of rubbish and eaten all the fresh bread and biscuits you left out on the camp table
- Always keep an eye on your kids, especially at the sand dunes. They are attracted to the delightful screams of children playing. They are cunning, elusive and fast
- Dingoes have an amazing sense of smell and a quick pee in the sand does attract them. They do come running and I have experienced this first hand
- If you like to go for morning walks, carry a stick or umbrella or something to scare them with if they approach too close. Dingoes love to walk in the coolness of the morning. If they smell or see you they will stalk you. You may only see one but there will be others watching and following you
- Teach the dingo safety rules to your children
