An outback tour guide is exposing tourists' reckless behaviour in croc territory in a bid to keep them safe.
For more, David McMahon joins.
And out Back tour Guide is exposing tourists reckless behavior in Crop Territory and a big to keep them safe from seeing people pose for photos in the water where predators are known to roam to kids fishing right next to one. Northern Territory local David McMahon is urging visitors against risking their lives for the perfect snap.
It comes as crocodile attacks have become more common in recent times, with the protected species now recovering in their numbers. David joins us now live in Townsville, great to have you with us. Is this as dangerous as it all looks?
Absolutely?
Without question, it's one of Australia's most notorious, one of the most dangerous crossings anywhere in the country. And the fact that you can safely cross it, you can safely view the place. But we just seem to be seeing more and more reckless behavior and it's a real worry.
So you drive across it all the time, do you how many crocs do you see?
Yeah? Yeah, Well the Territorians like myself and all the people that live in art Land.
It's the only way to get into num Land from the west, so it's not uncommon to cross and have thirty big crops right next to the car, so it can be pretty wild, especially for people that aren't used to it.
That's incredible, isn't it. I mean, why they're numbers so large. And also we're hearing of some tourists feeding the crocs at times too.
Yeah.
Well, this is a remarkable place where in the late dry season that the tide pushes over a meter and a half upstream eighty kilometers from the coast, but massive tides in the top end and all of the diamond scale, mullet and barrel mundy they're pushing upstream in the late dry all the crocodiles put their difference to the side and rock up at the crossing to feed. You'll see their little fingers sitting at the water and it's one of the great natural wonders of the world's that's what brings them all there.
So there've been a couple of deaths here, haven't there. Are you surprised they haven't been more?
Yeah, over the years.
I mean, there was a horrific death in nineteen eighty seven. A porfalo lost his head in front of his son and a bust full of tourists and you see things like the things that have happened in the last few weeks, you think it's only a matter of time. You know, if people can't just take a few simple precautions, something like that's bound to happen again.
Well, the warning signs are there, just take us through those precautions. What would you do? What would you say to them?
Yeah, well, it's such an easy place to go. If you have to cross, wait too low tide.
You know, the only time you can't cross it safely is it that high tide mark.
You need a bit of patience.
And we're seeing cars get washed off simply because they can't wait an hour.
They get washed off and risking their lives. If you're a tourist, you want to go get some photos of the crocodiles. Remarkable thing to see. They've got a.
Beautiful, big viewing platform on the Kaka Do side. The only thing you need.
To remember is crocodiles live in the water. We live on land.
You give them a couple of meters buffer, so two or three meters back from the water and you're safe as houses.
It's as simple as that.
Yeah, but you don't get the TikTok shot.
That's the thing.
What's it worth?
Well, yeah, it seems to be a thing exactly.
Wow, David, this is fascinating. We'll have to get you back on. Thank you very much forgives the update and the warning to lots and lots of people.
Mhm