Three-metre croc spotted near future Olympic rowing course

Crocodile spotted near Rockhampton's planned 2032 Olympic rowing course In short: A crocodile estimated to be more than 3 metres long was spotted at North Rockhampton Golf Club. The sighting is close to the Fitzroy River precinct earmarked for rowing at the 2032 Olympics. What's next? Wildlife authorities will assess whether the crocodile poses a risk and should be removed. A large, saltwater crocodile near the 2032 Olympic rowing precinct in Rockhampton is under investigation, while Rowing Australia says the sighting is a "shock" and a wake-up call. North Rockhampton Golf Club alerted members at the weekend after the saltwater crocodile, estimated to be more than 3 metres long, was spotted near the 11th hole. The sighting was within a few kilometres of the Fitzroy River precinct earmarked for rowing and canoe sprint events at the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games. On Monday, a spokesperson for the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) said the sighting was not reported to the department, and was now under investigation. Speaking in Hervey Bay on Monday morning, Premier David Crisafulli played down concerns about the crocodile and expressed confidence in Rockhampton's ability to host the Olympic rowing events. "Many, many decades of success proves that it's a world-class venue, it's a magnificent community and they'll do it very, very well," he said. Rowing Australia life member Ray Ebert said the sighting was a wake-up call for those involved in planning the 2032 Olympic rowing events on the Fitzroy River. "It's a bit of a shock to me," Mr Ebert told ABC News Breakfast on Monday. "I've been saying that the crocodiles are the least of our problems. I'm going to admit to something that none of the politicians have admitted to: maybe I was wrong." Mr Ebert pointed to previous crocodile sightings in the area, including two reported in December 2024, involving animals measuring about 2.5 metres and 1 metre. Loading...He said the latest sighting raised questions about how authorities would manage crocodile risks around the proposed rowing venue. "It's not the crocodiles that you can see that I would be worried about, it's the ones that I can't see,"he said. Mr Ebert questioned whether the Queensland government was taking the issue seriously enough and said the sighting could prompt further questions about the venue's suitability and safety. Rowing venue scrutiny State and national rowing regattas have been held on the Fitzroy River and the venue has also been used by Australian rowing teams for pre-Olympic training camps over the years. In September, Mr Crisafulli announced the Rockhampton venue had passed an independent technical assessment "with flying colours" to host rowing and canoe sprint events at the 2032 Brisbane Games. It came after months of fierce debate over the Fitzroy River's suitability, including its status as a crocodile habitat. International sporting bodies are now awaiting the next phase of venue planning, which include technical details and confirmation of service levels and facilities needed for Olympic and Paralympic competitions. On September 19, a saltwater croc was spotted upstream from the Rockhampton rowing course, according to the Queensland government's official sightings dashboard. There have been two further sightings since that were reported closer to the proposed venue. Croc expert supports removal Reptile expert John Lever said wildlife rangers would likely need to assess the animal's behaviour before a decision was made about whether it should be removed. The area is not currently classified as a Category A crocodile removal zone, where crocodiles are automatically targeted for removal. However, Mr Lever said he believed crocodiles spotted in the vicinity of the planned Olympic venue should be removed. "Now, under the circumstances with the Olympics coming up, my take on this would be that any crocodile seen in that area should be removed,"he said. "But that's not up to me to do that, it's up to the government." DETSI has been contacted for comment. Mr Lever, who owns Koorana Crocodile Farm near Rockhampton, said the animal was likely to be a male saltwater crocodile, given its reported size. Mr Lever said last week's rain may have stimulated the animal's activity. "There's crocodiles, of course, in the Fitzroy [River], we all know that, so a sighting is not uncommon," he said. "This is the mating season. Males and females are both moving around looking for mates."