A popular tour operator has called out families fishing and picnicking near a notorious river crossing where a deadly crocodile attack is ‘waiting to happen’.
Cyaround Australia Tours shared astonishing footage of a group fishing just metres away from at least 10 crocs at Cahills Crossing in Kakadu National Park, 285km east of Darwin, on Tuesday.
‘I’ve been frequently visiting Cahills Crossing for about six years now,’ the operator began.
‘In that time I’ve seen some absolutely crazy things happen here with people blatantly risking their lives near multiple large saltwater crocodiles.
‘Everything from people walking their children and dogs across the road at low tide, to people slipping over trying to pull in a fish with a big croc chasing the fish.’
The frustrated tour operator watched on in horror as a family with young children fished in murky waters, oblivious to the deadly dangers lurking underneath.
‘This family was literally having a picnic on the road with the kids constantly on the water’s edge and absolutely zero crocodile sense,’ they fumed.
‘At this time there was close to ten visible large crocs within 50m of them and probably another 25 crocs we couldn’t see at the time.
Cyaround Australia Tours called out the group fishing at Cahills Crossing in Kakadu National Park, 285km east of Darwin, on Tuesday
The frustrated tour operator said they watched in horror as a family fished just metres from at least 10 crocodiles
‘I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again but it is only a matter of time until we have another fatality here and it will be witnessed by hundreds of people.’
Cahills Crossing is only a few metres wide but is regarded as one of Australia’s most dangerous bodies of water because it is home to about 120 crocodiles, with some measuring up to five metres in length.
The rant ended with a plea to tourists to not ruin the beauty of the Northern Territory for others.
‘I absolutely love working out here and I have built my life around it. I don’t want to see places like this shut down,’ the operator wrote.
‘Parents! Please! When travelling to the Top End, be croc wise!
‘Teach your children about the dangers of crocs and we can all enjoy the natural wonder that is Cahills Crossing for many many more years to come.’
Many viewers agreed and called for parents to be fined while slamming tourists for not properly educating themselves on the dangers of crocodiles.
‘Honestly people have totally lost their perspective of the wild. This is totally insane and unacceptable on all levels,’ one wrote.
Another added: ‘I know very little about this place compared to people like yourselves however, this is one of the most stupid things I’ve seen on the internet.’
‘My god, I can’t believe some parents… This is just so scary,’ another wrote.
Viewers called for the parents to be fined and slammed tourists for not properly educating themselves on the dangers of crocodiles
Others were shocked to see the group so comfortable around croc-infested waters just a few weeks after a father was attacked in front of his wife.
David Hogbin, 40, died after being snatched by a crocodile in the Annan River, south of Cooktown in far north Queensland on August 3. He had been holidaying in the region with his wife and their three children.
The crocodile was shot and killed by wildlife rangers at 2pm the following Monday.
Queensland Police later released a statement revealing that human remains had been found inside the predator.
Cahills Crossing has also been marred by tragedy in the past with one man killed in 2017 after trying to cross the hazardous area on foot.
In 1987, 40-year-old Kerry McLoughlin was decapitated by a crocodile while he was fishing in the area.
And in 2021, a group of tourists were forced to swim through crocodile-infested waters after their Subaru Forester got bogged in the river.
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