Crocodiles are a weird combination of Aussie ‘Big Thing’ and perilous prehistoric predator. Maybe our fascination with crocodiles in Australia is what makes this my most viewed post of all time*.

Or maybe it’s because of the awesome photos and superlative writing … read on, and decide for yourself

But before you do, PLEASE NOTE this WARNING:

Crocodiles are VERY dangerous and can be found almost anywhere in the Top End – not just in the places I mention below, and certainly NOT just where there are warning sgns.  Large crocodiles have been found a LONG way from the sea, and in many smaller rivers and streams. SO … you MUST be crocodile aware WHEREVER you go – don’t assume it’s safe just because there’s no sign, or no one has warned you.  Assume they are EVERYWHERE in the Top End – even if you can’t see them.

Of course, the World’s Biggest Crocodile replica in Normanton, Queensland isn’t a ‘Big Thing’ ie several times larger than the real deal. It’s actually a life-size replica of the biggest crocodile ever ‘taken’ (read:  ‘shot’) by croc hunter turned croc supporter Krystina Pawloski in 1957.Now known as ‘Krys’, the 8.63 metre long (28′ 4″) monster croc is bigger than JAWS, and it’s the biggest known specimen in the world.

The golden age blood sport of hunting crocodiles in Australia ended when crocodiles became protected in the early 1970’s. But crocodile hunting still takes place downunder – as long as your weapon of choice is a camera!

Although that won’t make any difference to the cunning saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus – or ‘Saltie’) who can wait for days to ensnare its prey, and once its victim is in the ‘death roll’, there’s little chance of escape.

And just to make things more confusing, it doesn’t always hang out in salt water, either!

While less aggressive, Australia’s only other crocodile species, the Freshwater Crocodile (Crocodylus johnsoni – or ‘Freshie’) has been known to attack, although not fatally.

But hey! Who wants to be the first?!

So where’s the best places to hunt for those elusive ‘live’ Crocodiles in Australia photos? Try my 7 Aussie Top End Crocodile Hot Spots for ALMOST guaranteed sightings!!

1. Marlgu Billabong, via Wyndham,Western Australia:

But what’s that lurking beneath its benign surface?

The video at the top of the post shows why it’s not a good idea to stray from the boardwalk.

But it’s an even worse idea to venture onto the banks of this worrisome wetland when this little beauty is sunning himself!!

Croc Hunter Tip:

Check the billabong banks on the far side regularly – crocs can appear without warning!

2. Daintree River, Daintree, Far North Queensland

A known crocodile hotspot, crocodile hunter wannabees can choose an assisted croc sighting via any number of river cruises. Daintree River Wild Watch was our choice for its birdwatching credentials, but we also got to see a saltwater crocodile close up whilst on the cruise.

Our first unassisted sighting came after the cruise as we drove up the road and spotted a large saltie sunning himself on a sandbank. He wasn’t there when we passed that same sandbank on our cruise about 30 minutes before!

The Daintree River doesn’t discriminate between salties and freshies – they’re both here in abundance!

Croc Hunter Tip:

So many Daintree River crocodile cruises can’t be wrong! Sightings are virtually guaranteed on a river cruise, and are not uncommon elsewhere.

3. Adelaide River via Darwin, Northern Territory:

The jury’s out on whether a sighting of a Performing Crocodile (ie a croc jumping for its supper) actually counts as crocodile hunting.

It’s the saurian equivalent of shooting fish in a barrel BUT if you can’t see them any other way, then knock yourself out!!

Choose one of the many available ‘Jumping Croc’ cruises – and hope like hell the boat doesn’t tip over as all the tourists rush to the same side whenever a crocodile appears …

Croc Hunter Tip:

This doesn’t really count as ‘hunting’ – but you WILL see crocodiles!!

4. Lake Argyle, via Kununurra, Western Australia:

The spectacular and otherworldly landscape of Australia’s largest lake will keep budding photographers busy for hours. One of the most magnificent spots in the country, the watery landscape is so panoramic, the wildlife takes second place.

Below the dam wall, these cold-blooded (in more ways than one) freshwater crocodiles recover from the cool night temperatures by taking in some sun. And while the morning cruise isn’t specifically about crocodile hunting, there are plenty around the banks and in the water.

Which could make the annual 10- and 20 km swimming races in the lake rather interesting …

Croc Hunter Tip:

Check the far bank below the dam wall. And take that 2 hour cruise – even if you don’t see a crocodile, it’s worth it just for the scenery!!

For more entertainment than is good for you, observe the anglers trying to land a big barramundi at this crocodile infested tidal river crossing into Arnhem Land. It’s also fun watching vehicles crossing the causeway as the tide comes in.

And it’s not called the East Alligator River for nothing!

Watching someone actually being taken by a crocodile would give me nightmares for a long, long time.

So watching a tinnie** full of drunken fisherman, one precariously perched on the nose of the craft as it drifted ever closer to a large crocodile they hadn’t seen, completely oblivious to the warning shouts from observers on the river bank, was a mesmerizing moment I hope never to experience again.

Luckily for them, the croc slid into the water and disappeared – they never even saw it.

As the tide came in, more crocodiles appeared downstream – not that the anglers knee-deep in water seemed to care …

But if you want your croc viewings with a bit less drama, try a Kakadu Yellow Water Cruise!!

Croc Hunter Tip:

Crocodiles abound in Kakadu National Park. See them at Cahill’s Crossing or on a cruise – but don’t make out like crocodile bait!

6. Windjana Gorge, via Gibb River Road, Western Australia:

 

No, those aren’t logs in the water … Windjana Gorge, WA

Frustrated crocodile hunters who’ve dipped out*** on crocs at other hot spots will not be disappointed here, unless they’re on a lifelong losing streak. If that’s the case (and even if it isn’t), think twice about heading for Windjana unless you’re keen on experiencing clouds of red dust, brain-hammering corrugated roads, tyre-shredding rocks and other generally adverse driving conditions en route to this remote spot.

Once there, if you can tear your eyes away from the gob-smackingly awesome scenery, you’ll be reaching for the crocodile repellent – yes, there really are that many!

All freshies, of course!! But happily, that makes getting a tad closer for those souvenir photos just that little bit easier!

Back down the road in Derby, crocs are regularly seen around the mangroves, although I have no photographic evidence of the large crocodile we spotted swimming in King Sound near the jetty …

Croc Hunter Tip:

Take the track into the gorge and keep your eyes on the water and sandbanks. Some would go so far as to dub this a ‘sure thing’ sighting spot!

7. Timber Creek, Northern Territory:

In the creek behind the Circle F Caravan Park campground, there’s a daily feeding session attracting any or all of the 12 freshwater crocodiles living in the creek.

They’re not always interested, but the enticement of a free snack costing virtually no energy is generally too much of a temptation to resist!

Careful observers may notice crocodiles resting on the banks of the creek – while they’re *only* freshies, my tip for the day is to let sleeping crocs lie.

But the nearby Victoria River’s self-nomination as Australia’s last great wild river may well be true, if the number of crocodile sightings is anything to go by.

The best way to see them is in a croc-proof purpose built river cruiser with a context-setting tour of Timber Creek at one end and sunset drinks and snacks on a float in the middle of the river at the other!

A Victoria River Cruise delivers on multiple crocodile sightings as well, with local Neville Fogarty identifying the ‘local’ crocs by name and reputation!

As we passed the white croc, old ‘Broken-jaw’ and the 5+ metre long Lord Lizard who disappeared without a trace into the water beneath the cruiser, Neville told us the cattle station we were passing lost 200+ cattle to crocodiles each year.

Somehow, I don’t think they’d mind a change in diet if anyone was foolish enough to stray  too close to the water …

Croc Hunter Tip:

So many sightings of both Saltwater and Freshwater crocodiles, you won’t know where to look first. But be warned – these ones are BIG!!

Disclaimer: Wild crocodiles are unpredictable, so of course I can’t guarantee you’ll see crocodiles in Australia where I have! But stay ‘croc-alert’ and you may see them where you’re least expecting it.

Like the time we watched in horrified disbelief as two crocodiles fought over a dead cow floating downstream past our campsite on the Northern Territory’s Mary River – but that’s another story!!

Want MORE?

 

• World’s Biggest Crocodile
• Australian Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus)
• Australian Freshwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus johnsoni)
• Cruising with Crocodiles on Australia’s WILDEST River!

* OK, since you asked nicely, the 2nd most viewed post of all time is 7 Days between Adelaide and Darwin

** tinnie = small aluminium fishing boat  There’s no accounting for taste!

***  ‘Dipped Out’ = Aussie expression meaning failed, or not done, or didn’t happen

The post 7 Crocodile Hot Spots in Australia’s Top End appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Looking 23 metres down – the Canopy Tower

The Demon Duck of Doom (Dromornis stirtoni) at the Daintree Discovery Centre is unlikely to cause panic unless you’re of a particularly nervous disposition. That’s because it’s a metal cutout, the real life version having been extinct since the late Miocene period.

Above the canopy – 1998

But what’s a few megafauna between friends when a much more highly developed and dangerous animal roams the walkways and forest floors of the Discovery Centre?



The Daintree River – 1998



Over the crocodile-infested Daintree river, the ‘challenging’ main road winds through the magnificent World Heritage listed Wet Tropics rainforest that the founders fell in love with way back in Queensland’s glory days of unbridled development. How the privately owned centre became an award-winning eco-tourism attraction with cutting edge ‘green’ technology since opening in 1988 is a masterclass in prioritising and persistence for apathetic, incompetent and inactive governments … but I digress!



Daintree River Mouth – 1998

 The Canopy Tower cyclone rating no doubt provides relief to nervous climbers – but the climb to the top platform can be shaky even on a calm day when a tour group gallops past, as it did on our July 2010 visit. But … it’s the journey not the destination for those who take the only opportunity in OZ to experience the unique characteristics of each rainforest level. Although the destination is mighty fine too – it’s a different world above the canopy!

As the oldest rainforest in the world – with a high incidence of endemic plants, animals and birds – the Daintree is a valuable scientific resource with secrets still to be discovered. So observing rainforest plants, birds and butterflies up close, with expert commentary provided by audio units along the Daintree Discovery Centre’s aerial walkway, boardwalks and interpretive displays is an Aussie must-do!



From the Canopy Tower – Daintree Discovery Centre

 Especially when coupled with the chance to observe the juvenile Homo sapiens at play, unfettered by parental disapproval or social mores …

PS – Pictures marked 1998 were taken during our first trip to the Daintree. 

The post Don’t Miss This! Daintree Discovery Centre, Queensland appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Although now you’re thinking the pictures look a bit dull, right?  Well … this is what happens at dawn on a cloudy day.  Deal with it.

After narrowing the choice by eliminating ‘photography’ cruises (click HERE for my views on giant lenses) and cruises focusing on crocodile spotting (croc spotters and birdwatchers are pretty much mutually exclusive), we rang #1 on the order of merit and got an answering service! SO … #2 – Daintree River Wild Watch – was the lucky winner! Besides, how could we go wrong with a guide called Ian ‘Sauce’ Worcester?!

Wild splashing of heavy creatures upriver reminded us of the smallness of the boat relative to, say, a 4 metre (12+ft) crocodile, but Sauce pronounced the splashing most likely to be fish – hippos being unknown in these parts!  If so, several small Pacific nations could dine in style for a week on one of those babies. And yes, I shrieked like a girl while passing under a tree with a green tree snake cunningly camouflaged in the branches directly above, but hell … I AM a girl! It makes no difference whatsoever that the green tree snake isn’t venemous. Or that no one has died of green tree snake bite in living memory. As any reasonable person would know!! But I digress …

A post-cruise breakfast in Daintree village on a bird filled verandah (was that Sauce in the next room knocking back a hearty meal?!) prolonged the cruise euphoria. As we reluctantly left this divine spot behind, our departure route followed the stretch of the Daintree river we’d just cruised.  As we rounded a bend with a clear view over the river, we experienced our first absolutely unassisted crocodile sighting! Yes, you can see it too if you click on the photo and take a look on the sandbank (one day I MUST get a camera with a bigger zoom …) – that speck on the sandbank is a croc about 3 metres (~10ft) long, and we’d cruised past that same sandbank about an hour before in a tiny boat!! Maybe there’s a closet croc-spotter lurking in this amateur birdwatcher’s heart after all …

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