Mareeba goes croc free

A MAREEBA meeting has brought clarity to the Queensland Crocodile Management Plan for the region after a man was bitten last weekend.

The meeting confirmed that all crocodiles – both fresh and saltwater – will be moved from the region to crocodile farms. travels the Bloomfield Track frequently with his D’Arcy of Daintree tour operation, says this new croc is so big he ranges far and wide with impunity.

“This one’s an itinerant croc,” Mr D’Arcy said.

“He’s absolutely enormous

The latest attack occurred at a Peters Road farm, three kilometres northwest of Mareeba on Sunday.

Cane worker, Daryl Bell, was asked by a cane harvesting machine operator to capture the crocodile after it was found in a paddock burnt by fire.

While trying to catch the crocodile Mr Bell was bitten on the hand. – much bigger than Brutus. I was genuinely gobsmacked when I saw him, because I’ve seen so many crocs in that spot. Big crocs..

“I saw him last year on the Bloomfield and also on the Annan River in Cooktown and

A meeting hosted yesterday by the Mareeba Chamber of Commerce at Mareeba RSL drew growers and residents who expressed their concerns about crocodiles in the region.

Department of Environment and Heritage Protection wildlife manager Dr Matthew Brien said Mareeba was classed as “Zone F” in the Queensland Crocodile Management yesterday on the Bloomfield close to Ayton. He’s wellknown.

“He’s from the Plantation, which is just north of Ayton. A German family set up a sugar plantation up there years ago, and the swamp area is called Plan. This means Mareeba is a “no tolerance” zone for all crocodiles and all will be targeted for removal.

“Within a couple of years there should be no crocodiles in the Mareeba area,” he said.

Owner of cane harvesting contractor Harvest Mareeba, Bruce Craven, was present when Mr Bell was bitten.

“…One of my workers got the Plantation, and it’s a big breeding ground for crocs.

“I’m told it ranges from Hope Vale down even to the Daintree – but I’m not so sure about that. Anyway, it’s just not a one-creek croc.”

There have been reports of bitten and there was a delay in getting information on how to deal with this problem,” he told the meeting.

“Out of this meeting we have gotten the information that everyone has been looking for which is that the eradication of saltwater crocodiles on the Tableland is going to happen. That is a good thing.”

Mr Craven said more people

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the deaths of two large crocs in the Bloomfield River 117km north of Cairns.

Locals believe a large croc that was removed after some dogs had gone missing was not the culprit. Later another large croc was removed. reporting croc sightings would force the department to take action.

The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection Wildlife acting director David Cook said the meeting was positive and it was good for the department to engage with the community.