‘Pointless’ to trap and remove 2m crocodile

The Department of Environment and Conservation said it would be “pointless” to trap and remove the two-metre saltwater crocodile which attacked 23-year-old Tara Hawkes in the Kimberley last week, as another would simply take its place.

West Kimberley district wildlife officer Peter Carstairs warned tourists against swimming in any of the remote Kimberley’s freshwater pools close to tidal flows, as ‘salties’ could be living in any of them.

Ms Hawkes was bitten on April 1 and dragged underwater as she stood waist-deep in fresh water in Dugong Bay, an isolated corner of Talbot Bay, 243km north-east of Broome.

Her close friend, Colby Schoderboeck said a crew member known as “Big Al” immediately leapt on top of the crocodile and was joined by one of the guests in the water.

After a terrifying tug-of-war with the reptile, the pair dragged Ms Hawkes to safety.

“They got on the crocodile’s back,” she said. “They were ripping the jaws of the crocodile open to get her free.”

True North’s helicopter, a single-engine Eurocopter Squirrel, flew Ms Hawkes to Derby Hospital.

As a crew member on the luxury 50m-vessel True North, operated by North Star Cruises, she was on a regular visit to the stunning natural harbour, which features dramatic ranges and remnant rainforest framing waterfalls and pools full of freshwater crocodiles.

But they are also teeming with saltwater crocodiles, which swim in from the ocean on high tides chasing schools of mullet, queenfish and bream. Highly territorial, they are particularly ferocious during their nesting season, from November to April.

Kimberley wildlife expert Richard Costin, who visited the same spot two weeks ago, watched as a 4m ‘saltie’ emerged from a freshwater pool after taking a bath under a waterfall.

“To the best of my knowledge, seven or eight crocs live in that bay,” he said. “There are other pools that are safe to swim in – we’ve been taking tourists in there on and off for a few years.

“We swim in Dugong Bay, but not in that place … the tide comes up and into those pools, so they just swim in to wash and have a feed.”

Mr Costin was confident a saltwater crocodile had attacked Ms Hawkes and said she was lucky to have survived. If it had managed to pull her underwater, it would have rolled in a bid to drown her, he said.

“I’d say it was the surprise to the crocodile that caused it to let go,” he said.

Peter Trembath, of North Star Cruises, yesterday said crew members checked the pool for crocodiles before anyone entered the water. But Mr Costin said they would have had to have sat watching the water for several hours to be sure there were none.

“Crocs can stay underwater for a couple of hours, no problem at all… you wouldn’t notice them,” he said. “To just have a cursory look at the place and then dive in and have a swim – there’s always a risk.” Mr Trembath said the company would review the incident and respond accordingly.