A saltwater crocodile spotted at North Rockhampton Golf Club at the weekend is under investigation by the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), ABC News reported on Monday (2 November). 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.

A DETSI spokesperson said the sighting was not reported to the department, but was now under investigation. The ABC reported that wildlife authorities will assess if the crocodile poses a risk and should be removed.

A photo shared by the golf club on Sunday (1 November) showed the crocodile just off the 11th hole, on Splitters Creek, which runs off the Fitzroy, Brisbane Times reported. The Rockhampton Fitzroy Rowing Club is directly opposite the golf club.

Reports differ on the animal's size. The ABC said it was estimated to be up to 3 metres long. Club president Brian Phelan described it to Brisbane Times as a "baby crocodile" of about 1.2 metres. "It has been a resident … for the past 12 months," he said. "It has never been a problem, members and visitors are very aware of its presence with signage throughout the course."

Asked on Monday morning whether the government had concerns about the sighting, Premier David Crisafulli said: "No." Speaking in Hervey Bay, he said: "Many, many decades of success prove that it's a world-class venue. It's a magnificent community and they'll do it very, very well."

Transport and Main Roads Minister Brent Mickelberg said he was also confident the venue would be safe for rowers. "I challenge anyone who thinks rowing can't be delivered in Rocky to head up to Rocky and have a look," he told reporters at Central Station in Brisbane. "The rowing club on the banks of the Fitzroy there is exceptional, and I'm sure it'll be a great success in 2032."

Rowing Venue Scrutiny

In September, World Rowing and Paddle Worldwide endorsed the Rockhampton flatwater course for rowing, para rowing, canoe sprint and para canoe events, after an independent technical assessment by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) and marine engineering experts WaterProof, according to a joint ministerial statement. The statement said the assessment confirmed the course could provide "a safe, fair and consistent field of play" and that the Fitzroy Barrage separates the downstream tidal saltwater section from the upstream freshwater section where the proposed course is located.

State and national rowing regattas have been held on the Fitzroy River, and Australian rowing teams have used it for pre-Olympic training camps, the ABC reported. International sporting bodies are now awaiting the next phase of venue planning.

Rowing Australia life member Ray Ebert called the sighting a wake-up call. "It's a bit of a shock to me," he told ABC News Breakfast. "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." He added: "It's not the crocodiles that you can see that I would be worried about. It's the ones that I can't see."

Opposition Leader Steven Miles said the sighting highlighted the need for the government to release the technical report underpinning Rockhampton's selection, and that the report should outline how crocodile risks would be managed during the Games. University of Queensland emeritus professor Craig Franklin described the venue choice as a political decision rather than one based on common sense, going so far as to call it "foolish".

Croc Expert Supports Removal

John Lever, who owns Koorana Crocodile Farm near Rockhampton, told the ABC the animal was likely a male saltwater crocodile and estimated it at "up to three metres" from the photograph. He said rangers would likely need to assess its behaviour before any removal decision. "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."

Mr Lever said heavy rainfall in central Queensland last week may have stimulated the animal's activity. "This is the mating season. Males and females are both moving around looking for mates," he said. Dr Ross Dwyer, a senior lecturer in animal ecology at the University of Sunshine Coast, told Brisbane Times crocodiles would likely be less active during the winter months when the Games would be held. "They're certainly still moving around, and you would certainly want to be careful," he said.

Rockhampton marks the southernmost estuarine crocodile population in Queensland, according to the state's crocodile management plan, which says any estuarine crocodile that poses a threat to human safety will continue to be targeted for removal.