If you meet a dingo, DO NOT RUN! That’s the word from Queensland, which after yet another hair-raising scare on Fraser Island, has rushed through a new, beefed-up maximum fine to deter people from feeding the Australian wild dogs.
The fine will apply to people who feed dingoes on Queensland’s famous island, the world’s largest sand isle. It was imposed after a shocking incident in which a dingo crept into a campervan and dragged a 14-month-old boy from his bed by his head, fracturing his skull.
The boy’s father jumped from his bed, hearing his son’s screams, and fought the wild dog off.
Experts believe dingoes on the island are losing their fear of humans because people are feeding them. New rules introduced on Friday will see the minimum fines for intentionally feeding or disturbing dingoes increase from AUD 391 to AUD 2088, while the maximum fine will double from AUD 5222 per offence to AUD 10,444.
The island will establish more fenced camping sites to separate dingoes and tourists and will begin a major education campaign run to help improve visitor safety.
The dingo attack on the infant came after the mysterious drowning of two Japanese schoolboys in a placid lake on the island just a few weeks ago; yet another strange incident on an island which has been known for its spine-tingling history ever since Captain Fraser, after whom the island is named, was speared to death. See: Locals shocked and baffled by tourist deaths on Fraser Island
Fraser Island dingo
Some suggest the island should revert permanently to its original Aboriginal name, K’gari.
“People need to be aware that feeding dingoes can have significant and serious consequences,” Queensland’s Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch (who already calls the island K’gari) said on Friday.
“Rangers and Traditional custodians do a great job in informing visitors to be dingo-safe.
“Increasing fines for those who deliberately disturb dingoes or feed them sends a very clear message about how dangerous the practice is.”
Over the school holiday period, rangers and traditional custodians visited more than 215 campsites to reinforce safety messaging.
“Six fines were issued to people over the Easter weekend, under the existing fine structure, for not properly securing food,” Enoch said.
“We want to ensure visitors and dingoes can co-exist on K’gari.
“The management of dingoes on K’gari is complex, and the Government and the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation are committed to supporting a sustainable and healthy dingo population, while minimising the risks to human safety and dingo welfare.”
Leeanne Enoch
Visitors to Fraser Island are reminded to be dingo safe at all times:
- Always stay close (within arm’s reach) of children and young teenagers
- Always walk in groups
- Camp in fenced areas where possible
- Do not run. Running or jogging can trigger a negative dingo interaction
- Never feed dingoes
- Lock up food stores and iceboxes (even on a boat)
- Never store food or food containers in tents, and
- Secure all rubbish, fish and bait.
Written by Peter Needham
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