Several camping zones in Queensland’s K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) have been temporarily shut down due to “increased threatening dingo activity”.
On Friday, Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science sent out an alert announcing the temporary closure of beach camping zones three, four and five.
“This closure is necessary to reduce negative dingo interactions and allow for ongoing monitoring and dingo management,” the announcement reads.
These camping zones are located on K’gari’s coastline, from the Poyungan Rocks to The Pinnacles. The zones are also located around Eli Creek where dingo multiple attacks occurred earlier this week.
As per 9News, two dingoes reportedly circled a group of adults at K’gari’s Eli Creek at 11.45am on Thursday. Five minutes later, a second woman was reportedly bitten in the thigh after getting attacked by more dingoes from behind.
In July, a 23-year-old was “mauled” by a pack of dingoes while jogging on the island, and in a separate incident that happened earlier in the year, an eight-year-old boy was bitten twice on K’gari beach.
The alert also comes after a man was spotted attempting to give a water bottle to a dingo near Waddy Point Beach on the Island.
Senior park ranger Linda Behrendorff, as per news.com.au, said: “After the recent incidents on K’gari, it is disappointing that anyone would choose to deliberately interact with a wongari (dingo).
“People must understand that just one interaction like this can set wongari on the path to becoming habituated, and ignoring this means ignoring the consequences for human safety and for the wongari.
“It is poor people behaviour that causes many of the negative interactions on the island.”
In the alert, Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science reminded visitors to “never attempt to feed or touch” the dingoes.
“These are wild animals and can quickly become aggressive. On-the-spot fines of $2,476.80 apply for anyone caught feeding or disturbing dingoes anywhere on K’gari,” the alert reads.
Campers who have booked these zones during its closure period are eligible for a refund or system credit
