There is a basic tenet to crocodile awareness in Australia’s Top End: you are to consider any natural waterway a crocodile habitat save for those the authorities have put down as safe for swimming. The rule applies to all the rivers, estuaries, swamps, harbours and billabongs in and around Darwin.
Callum Chapman here, an outdoor writer from Darwin who has worked in tour operations. I see my share of visitors come in with their hats on and water bottles at the ready but not a notion of how perilous a deceptively still creek can be in short order. My advice on crocodile safety in the Top End is plain enough, provided one has the discipline to adhere to it when the water is as flat as a pancake.
Why One Should Be Cautious
In the dry season heat a Top End waterway is hard to resist. But do not let calm water, fine weather or a well used picnic spot convince you there are no crocodiles about.
You will find saltwater crocs in coastal parks, drainage channels and freshwater rivers; the inland waterways are home to the freshwater variety. The name of the crocodile is no indication of a place being secure. To be Crocwise is to deal with the risk before you are in the water and looking at a pair of shiny eyes. Following practical park safety measures can help reduce the risk.
Local Crocodile Habitat
They range over tidal creeks, mangroves, floodplains, estuaries and beaches. When the water is up, it will make way into places that were cut off in the dry.
One has to show some respect for floodwaters. A crocodile will go where the water takes it and what was once a walking track can turn into a point of access. After a cyclone or a storm surge a park can present risks that were not there last month.
Places You Will Find Them
Make of it this simple: where there is a connection to crocodile habitat, count on a crocodile making its way there. This holds true for spots the locals frequent and for those that seem too shallow or confined to be of any concern.
Heed the official signs and any notices from the park, but do not mistake the lack of a sign for a guarantee of your own safety.
Coastal Areas And Waterways
Billabongs, swamps, harbours and the like are all potential habitat. They can be found taking cover by a boat ramp or under some overhanging growth where the fish congregate.
Before you set out from home in the Darwin area, see what the conditions are. Are there any closures or crocodile reports? Any cyclone or weather warnings? Parks and Wildlife NT and the Northern Territory Government will have the latest on any changes.
Floodwater And Seasonal Change
A good rain or storm tide in the wet season has a way of redrawing the map, turning low lying tracks and lagoons into a wildlife corridor. The dry season may make for more predictable walking and better roads but the animals are in the waterways year round. The calendar is for planning, not to be taken in lieu of caution.
Walking And Swimming
When it comes to swimming, a shortcut is asking for trouble. Stick to the areas set aside for it and do not be led to think it is sanctioned because others are in the water.
On a hike you need to be mindful of the water. You may be all right on a track along a creek but it is not wise to halt at the edge to wash your hands or top up a bottle. Make sure children and dogs are close by, in thick vegetation or at a bend in the bank.
A Checklist For Your Safety
- Make note of the tides, weather and any crocodile warnings prior to leaving.
- Only swim where local authorities have given the go ahead.
- Give the water’s edge a wide berth at night and around dawn and dusk.
- Leave food, fishing line, hands and feet off the bank.
- Fish scraps and the like should not be left at a campsite or beach.
- Have a plan for your return and make sure you have a charged phone, insect repellent and sun protection.
People are apt to think they are in no danger in the shallows. Crocodiles will bide their time in very shallow margins. If it is not an approved spot for swimming, then do not go in.
Safety for the Fisherman, Boater and Camper
Extended time on the water is part and parcel of fishing, boating and camping. It also affords more chance for an error to be made, especially in a moment of distraction or fatigue, or when one is intent on putting in a final fish before breaking camp.
In the Northern Territory, crocodile safety is largely a matter of being in control of such moments. Put some distance between your camp and the water, make sure food is put away and do not go about your business in a way that puts you in close proximity to the bank.
Minimising risk at the bank
There is no need to stand at the edge to wash up, get water or clean your catch. Make use of a long handle if you can, put fish offal well clear of the campsite and heeding any local rules for boat ramps and the like.
A life jacket in good fit is mandatory when boating and passengers should remain in the vessel; do not let arms or legs hang over the side. In crocodile country a tinnie is no place to lounge.
Camping is best done at a formal site. What looks like a pleasant spot by the creek could be a wildlife thoroughfare. After dark, stick to the tent or vehicle with the children, use a torch and do not walk the bank.
Routes for access and return
Take stock of the road surface, where you will park and how far you have to walk to your destination before you head out. An unsealed road in the Top End can be as rough as guts after the wet season rains, and you may find your way back impeded by soft ground, standing water or a tree down.
Make allowances for the heat, mozzies, a change in the tide, photographs and the fact that a short route will take its time on a muddy track when the humidity is up. Let someone know your plans and when you will be back.
On saltwater and freshwater crocodiles
The two species native to Australia are the saltwater and the freshwater crocodile. They are protected and there should be no attempt to approach, feed or touch them for a photo or otherwise.
Do not be misled by the nomenclature. A saltwater crocodile is quite at home in fresh water and the freshwater variety has a bite to it and is not to be handled. You cannot rely on identifying the species for your safety.
| Type | Typical Habitat | Practical Risk Message |
|---|---|---|
| Saltwater crocodile | Coastal rivers, estuaries, tidal creeks, beaches, billabongs and the freshwater reaches. | Wherever signs or locals tell you there are crocs, consider the risk to be serious. |
| Freshwater crocodile | Inland waterways, lagoons, billabongs and rivers. | The animal being smaller or the water inland is no reason to swim, feed or come near. |
An adult saltwater crocodile can be in excess of 6 metres and the freshwater type will run to around 3 metres or so. But size is individual and even a small one can do damage. Keep your distance.
Dealing with warnings
Warning signs are intended to alter what you do, not to be part of the view. Should you come across one once you are there, take it as your cue to put some space between yourself and the water. The same applies to a reported sighting from others; the absence of the animal in your company does not mean the shoreline is clear, they are hard to see.
When the going gets tough
A park will have closed a beach, ramp or track for a reason. Do not try to find a way round. There may be a hazard not apparent from the car park, be it flood damage, storm or crocodile management.
In the wet season it is wise to check in again before you travel; the morning forecast will not account for afternoon storms. From November to April a cyclone alert can mean dangerous floodwaters and closures.
Park safety in practice
One should be thinking of these measures before the vehicle is off the driveway. Ascertain the access conditions, pack for the humidity and have a plan for turning around should the track prove too much. Such practices are sensible for the angler, the family, the tour group and all visitors. Not for those who would make an improvised swim in a crowded area or pay no mind to a sign.
Picking your activity
With a day to spare, opt for a park or swimming area that is well managed and has the facilities and signage to show for it. Walk the boardwalks and lookouts instead of looking for some sequestered hole in which to bathe.
Those new to it would do well to steer clear of unsupervised water, unfamiliar boat ramps and remote tracks in the wet season. Even the seasoned traveller will want to verify conditions; after a rain or flood or a croc is sighted, old local knowledge is of little use.
One has to recalibrate one’s expectations. It is easy to think a well-trodden beach should be safe, but in practice you will find people venturing beyond the designated swimming area. You might imagine a crocodile would make itself known; the truth is that between the glare and the murk of the water or thick vegetation an animal can remain undetected until it is right on top of you.
What to do in the event of a sighting
Should you come across a crocodile, put some distance between you and it in a calm manner. There is no call to go closer for the sake of a photograph, to throw something at it or to summon it, nor should one suppose it will simply clear off.
Put those in your vicinity on notice and get back from the water’s edge. If danger is imminent, report it by way of the local authority or emergency services. From a position of safety note down the time, location and which way it is heading.
- Depart the water and have others with you.
- Put those in your vicinity on notice without approaching the animal.
- Use the marked route to vacate the area.
- Heed any warnings or closure advice from the authorities.
- In the unlikely event of an attack on someone, 000 must be called at once; render first aid if it is safe to do so and do as the operator says.
Do not be under the impression there is some surefire way to put a crocodile to flight. Speed, staring it out or making noise are not to be counted on. An attack would warrant a forceful defence of its more vulnerable parts like the snout and eyes, but keeping your distance is a far better course of action than having to resort to such measures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Australian river has the most crocs?
You will not find a national ranking to tell you that with any certainty. The figures will depend on how the survey was done, the season, what part of the river is in question and the state of the water. As a rule of thumb, consider the rivers of the Top End where crocodiles are known to be as risky business instead of looking for the “worst” or “safest”.
Where is a crocodile weak?
The snout and eyes are sensitive, yet to make a plan around finding a weak spot is poor thinking. Do not go up to a crocodile to see how it will react. Prevention and distance are what counts. If you are attacked then fight back with what you have and get help.
Is there a Queensland river with the most crocs?
Not according to any public ranking you can put your trust in. Populations ebb and flow from one catchment to another and over time. Heed the warning signs and notices from the local authority in Queensland rather than going by a river’s reputation.
What is the most crocodile-infested river?
That is hardly a scientific term. Tides and seasonal shifts mean an animal may be in one part of a river and not another. A sensible approach is to assume any habitat identified as such is occupied.
Can you safely swim near a freshwater crocodile?
No. They tend to be of a smaller size than their saltwater counterparts but they are still wild and will bite. Unless there is official sanction to the contrary, do not assume inland waters are safe for a swim, and do not feed or go near them.
Be Crocwise
There is nothing to it: observe the signs, take the current advice and unless you are in an area set aside for the purpose, stay out of natural waterways and do not crowd the bank.
Before you make for the Top End waterways the Northern Territory Government has Be Crocwise guidance you would do well to look at. All in all, the ideal outing is one in which an esky lid is the only thing you have to contend with.