A SNAPPING GOOD TIME IN QLD

THE popping sound as the jaws of a five metre saltwater crocodile snap together is a sound which is hard to forget, writes Jasmine O’Donoghue.

Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures is roughly 40km up the coast from Cairns and offers an exhilarating insight into one of Australia’s most dangerous animals.

The park runs boat tours on the croc-infested Hartley’s Lagoon throughout the day where over 20 “salties” lie in wait for their dinner to sail by.

Quick witted and downright hilarious guides maneuver the vessel around the enclosure, pointing out the salties by name, including Eileen the three-legged croc, and Boris, the 40-year old who stands at 5m long.

The cruises put the reptiles through their paces, dangling chunks of meat from a (very long) stick, tempting them to thrust themselves into the air and crash back into the water, merely metres from the sides of the boat.

Hartley’s runs a different presentation or wildlife interaction every half an hour and groups of 100 or more can explore the park exclusively.

“It’s just so uniquely different, it’s a very nice open venue, very endemic of what Tropical North Queensland is,” Yvonne Bekkers, Groups & Events Reservations Coordinatior told Business Events News. Breakfasts through to dinners can be organised for groups, including the popular options of the three- to fourhour Hartley’s Night Zoo and three-hour Hartley’s Night Adventures.