TOWNSVILLE BULLETIN (Australia) 27 March 04 Sightings of croc in weir (John Andersen)
Death lurks somewhere in these Burdekin River waters near Charters Towers, but no one knows where.
The new Burdekin River Water Park upstream from the Charters Towers weir - popular with bathers and fishermen - is smack in the middle of croc central, if local reports can be believed.
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has erected crocodile warning signs at the water park and at the weir wall area.
Yesterday the State Government's No. 1 crocodile man, Dr Mark Read, said a large croc reported to be in the weir had not been seen for more than a year.
He said it was possible the croc could have moved upstream or travelled downstream towards the Burdekin Dam.
But Burdekin River cattleman David Burt told the Townsville Bulletin he saw a large croc in the weir over several days while helicopter mustering during winter last year. He thought it was at least five metres.
Mr Burt said the crocodile was also seen by other people working on his property about 5km upstream from the weir.
Charters Towers resident Don Bethel said he had seen a croc he estimated at between 5.5 and seven metres sunning itself on a sandbank on the eastern side of the Burdekin River about 8km upstream from the weir wall. He said he had seen the crocodile numerous times but it had now moved.
"You'd see him every day. He'd just lie out on the sand bank. You could watch him for hours," he said.
Mr Bethel said the croc might have moved upstream.
"No one's seen him for a while but I wouldn't swim anywhere in there," he said.
A woman who lives upstream from the weir said despite not having seen the croc she would not swim in the weir or let her children swim there.
"We're not confident he's not around," she said.
Noel Green from The Brook station north of Charters Towers was not worried about crocs while fishing downstream from the weir wall on Thursday.
"I don't go in the water," he said.
Sightings of croc in weir