Animals

Dingo fence to be built on Fraser Island after attacks on children


A new fence is to be built around a township on Queensland’s Fraser Island after several dingo attacks on children.

The state government will spend $2m on the fence around Orchid Beach on the north-east of Fraser Island, which is also known as K’gari.

A four-year-old boy was bitten on the leg there earlier this month and a toddler was mauled in April.

In February, a nine-year-old boy was approached by a dingo at Orchid Beach before the child’s father scared the animal off.

Queensland’s environment minister, Meaghan Scanlon, said close to 7km of fencing would be installed around the township after the local MP raised concerns.

“Fencing will protect visitors, Orchid Beach locals and K’gari’s native dingo population, who our rangers believe no longer show apprehension when approaching humans because they’ve either been deliberately fed or eaten food scraps,” she said in a statement on Saturday.

The government will consult with representatives of traditional owners, the Butchulla people, on the fence design and there will be a tender process.

Fences have already been set up around the towns of Eurong, Happy Valley and Kingfisher Bay Resort, and at 24 campgrounds.

People who feed or intentionally disturb the dingoes face fines of up to $10,000, in a bid to prevent the animals being encouraged to associate with humans.

In April 2019, a 14-month-old boy was dragged by his head from his family’s camper trailer, leaving him with a fractured skull and puncture wounds.

In 2001, two dingoes stalked and killed a nine-year-old boy when he tripped and fell near an island campsite. His brother was also mauled.



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