Eerie detail on popular Aussie lake leaves mum reeling: 'Most stressful hour of my life'
Renae Bunster had the 'worst hour of her life' after learning her children and husband were swimming metres from a crocodile trap.
A mum's chilling warning after learning her family was stand-up paddle-boarding just metres away from a huge saltwater crocodile trap has left Aussies stunned — but tour operators say there's nothing to worry about.
Renae Bunster was shocked to discover the saltwater crocodile trap alarmingly close to where her husband and children were enjoying a paddle board during the July school holidays at Lake Argyle Dam on the border of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
"I saw that croc trap and I started freaking out," Renae told Yahoo News Australia. "I went over to the canoe guy, and I asked him what's that thing there, and he explained it was a croc trap. It was pretty alarming."
Nervously, the mum who owns hot sauce company Bunsters, watched her family in the water for over an hour — saying it was "the most stressful hour of my life". While she waited for her family, she took a video that has gone viral joking that Australians "don't give a f**k".
"You can see some families … they’re going to go on a nice little canoeing trip up the river, this lovely river," she says before panning the camera to the left. "And that’s a crocodile trap, right there, for catching big old fat f***ing salty crocodiles. Aw look at the children — yummy, juicy children — and croc trap, massive, massive croc trap."
Tour operator weighs in on croc trap concern
The footage was captured in July during the region's dry season, a time when tour guide Maka, told Yahoo there are no saltwater crocs in the area.
Maka operates the econoeing tours along the Ord River from Lake Argyle to Lake Kununurra with company Go Wild. He told Yahoo he's "never" seen a saltwater croc in the area, and says the traps are precautionary, and there are six of them along the river.
"The Department of Parks and Wildlife has got six traps and they check them every Monday. Everyone’s super conscious of the whole thing," he told Yahoo.
The wet season runs between November and April and that’s when saltwater crocs are on the move, explained Maka. "In the wet season we worry, but not this time of year. The traps work very well. We swim everywhere, I’m standing in the water at the minute.
The trap at Lake Argyle Dam is hiding in plain sight and Maka explains that tourists are openly told about them. While salties are rare, Maka says there are "heaps" of freshwater crocs — with the lake host to the largest population of Johnston River crocodiles in the world.
"Freshwater crocs don’t eat meat, only fish," he said. "Every so often they’ll get a freshie in a trap, but it’s gone in to eat the fish that’s eaten the bait.
"Salties eat red meat so they bait the traps specifically for them, and that’s why it works."
WA state department warns Aussies to 'remain vigilant' in croc country
Western Australia's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions confirmed to Yahoo News Australia that the crocodile trap is operated by Parks and Wildlife.
"Crocodile traps are placed within the Lake Kununurra Crocodile Control Zone as part of the ongoing trapping program to detect and remove estuarine crocodiles from the area," a spokesperson confirmed. "There are 6 crocodile traps within the Crocodile Control Zone, with additional traps deployed based on a confirmed sighting of an estuarine crocodile."
They added that the North West of WA is "crocodile country" and "people are urged to remain vigilant and Be Crocwise at all times. While DBCA is committed to removing estuarine crocodiles from the Lake Kununurra Crocodile Control zone, swimming in the Lake remains an activity undertaken at your own risk. Reports from members of the public provide valuable information that helps inform operational decisions about crocodile management."
Sightings of saltwater crocodiles should be reported to the Kununurra office online or call 9168 4200.
Mum's croc footage goes viral
While Bunster, who lives in Broome, says crocs are a part of everyday life living in northern Australia, they are the one animal that she reckons is "terrifying".
The mum says the reaction to her viral video, which has been viewed over 50,000 times, has been "curious".
"It is a bit of a warning for people coming to Australia. Tourist guides might say 'she's right', you really do need to ask a few more questions and open your eyes and make sure is this actually safe?"
Calls mount for bigger fines for feeding crocodiles
The video comes after a woman was bitten by a crocodile while swimming in the lake in 2022, while there have been increasing calls in Queensland to increase fines for feeding crocodiles following the death of a NSW doctor.
David Hogbin was walking on a popular path above a riverbank at the Annan River near Cooktown in Far North Queensland when the ground suddenly gave way, causing him to fall into the river on August 3.
The remains of the father of three were found in a 4.9m crocodile, which police later confirmed they had tracked and euthanised.
Footage has emerged of people feeding crocodiles, believed to be at the Annan River. There are calls to lift the penalties to the same amount people are fined for feeding dingoes in K’gari, which was reported at $11,500 in 2022. Current fines for feeding crocodiles sit at $6,452.
with NCA
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