31 December 2011
TWO children and their fathers narrowly escaped the jaws of a large crocodile that lunged at them from the same creek where a man was badly mauled earlier this year.
The 4.5m saltie launched itself from the water in a surprise attack on Weipa man Jarrad Ireland, his son Benji, 2, Mr Ireland’s brother Ryan and his daughter Laylah, 3.
The men were sitting on quad bikes near the shoreline of Trunding Creek when the ordeal unfolded.
"It came out of the water and lunged at us," Mr Ireland said, adding the small children screamed and burst into tears.
"It had its mouth open. We just reversed and got out of there."
Ironically, Mr Ireland went to Trunding Creek to show his brother where Todd Bairstow was almost killed last March in an attack by a 300kg saltwater crocodile, which locked its jaws around his legs and crushed them as it went into a death roll.
Another Weipa resident said a large crocodile recently "stalked" her from the water while she was walking her dogs near Trunding Creek.
Mr Ireland is urging others to keep away from the creek, saying he and his family had been several metres from the water’s edge when the crocodile lunged at them on Christmas Day.
"It got pretty close and it was a pretty big croc," he said. "It was pretty scary for all of us."
Longtime resident Cal Seaborn said Trunding Creek was a well known crocodile nesting habitat and it was dangerous to be near the water, especially with the current king tides that allow crocodiles to hide in deeper water closer to shore.
"People need to be aware. It’s only a matter of time before we have a fatality," he said.
Mr Ireland reported the incident to the Department of Environment and Resource Management and officers surveyed the area but they could not find the crocodile.
Signs have been erected to warn people about the recent croc sighting.
Croc sightings can be reported at 1300 130 372.
