General News
25 March, 2026
For croc’s sake
A LACK of crocodile warning signs in the East Palmerston, Mena Creek and Nerada areas are rising fears that a tragedy is waiting to happen.
Residents, including members of the local progress association, say that several times in recent years they have reported sighting crocodiles estimated up to 4m in length in Rankin and Fisher creeks, both tributaries of the North Johnstone River.
But they say the state government department responsible for crocodile management – DETSI, The Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation – is not erecting croc sighting or warning signs at the reported spots, putting visitors to the area, in particular, at risk.
The East Palmerston and Nerada Progress Association recently took to social media to alert followers and others who might be interested in the area’s swimming spots to the risk of crocodiles moving upstream.
The association said they had been notified by locals that there were crocs “moving up into creeks that have not been there before,” as well as more of the animals being spotted on the North and South Johnstone rivers.
But despite reporting the croc sightings to DETSI, the association says general warning and recent sighting signage is not being replaced or repaired because of a spate of vandalism and theft of the signs.
Association president Shannon Paton told The Observer that having no warning signs in known crocodile spots is a big risk.
“Even down on the walking trails, the signs are gone, or not any in place, and all it takes is someone to pull up and go for a fish or go for a swim and be complacent,” Mr Paton said.
“We’ve seen it ourselves. I’ve got a video of a nice 3.5m saltie (saltwater crocodile) going under Rankin bridge,” he said.
Farmers are among those who have reported the crocs, after cattle were attacked.
“When one gentleman mustered his cows into the round yards, he found three that were chewed pretty hard, and he thought it was dogs until he had a look at the teeth marks,” Mr Paton said.
“He said ‘oh, that’s a bit too large and too far apart for one bite’ and then he put two and two together where the paddock was, and it was down near the creek, and he went down there the next morning and sure enough, there’s a 4m saltie that was on the other side sunning itself.”
What’s probably most alarming to locals is the distance upstream that crocodiles have moved in recent years, including being able to climb falls.
“It’s concerning, because we’ve got a couple of massive waterfalls in this creek system up the heart of the Palmerston, and they’ve gone past that as well. And I spoke to a couple of other farmers north of Paronella Park and they said they’re actually finding saltwater crocodiles above the Paronella Park waterfall now too.
“The recent one was a gentleman that lives down there. He spotted a 3m one that was actually crossing the road.”
After sending queries about crocodile sightings in the East Palmerston and nearby areas to the department responsible for crocodile management, The Observer received only a basic response.
A spokeswoman for the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) said: “We have not received any recent crocodile sighting reports in the East Palmerston region.
“We investigate every sighting report received and people can report crocodile sightings via the QWildlife app, online or by calling 1300 130 372.”
The department did remove a 1.7m croc from Fishers Creek three years ago, from a section of water above a series of rapids near the Palmerston Highway at Coorumba. “While wildlife officers were undertaking a boat survey of the creek, the crocodile rapidly approached the vessel,” the then named DES said in a media statement at the time.
“The crocodile’s bold behaviour made it easy for wildlife officers to secure the reptile and bring it to shore.”
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