There’s no doubt K’gari – formerly Fraser Island – is one of the most stunning, remote, and wild places on the Aussie camping map. But it’s also home to one of the country’s most iconic predators: the dingo. And after a spate of recent attacks, the local mayor is calling for a ban on kids under 12 camping outside the island’s fenced areas.
Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour reckons the risk is getting out of hand, saying, “This is getting to the stage where it is frightening, whether the next one will be a fatality or not.” He’s written to the Queensland Government proposing the ban, citing the growing number of dingo encounters that have resulted in injuries to young children.
To be fair, the numbers don’t lie. In August, a four-year-old girl was flown to hospital after being bitten on the chest. In June, a toddler copped a bite to the leg. And back in April, a 10-year-old was chased out of the surf by a dingo and bitten on the back of the leg. These aren’t isolated incidents, and they’re not happening in the middle of the scrub either – many have occurred in areas where visitors tend to gather.
So the mayor wants families with young kids to stick to the fenced campgrounds – places like Central Station and Waddy Point. The idea is to keep the littlies behind dingo-proof fences, rather than in the unfenced beach zones where the animals roam freely.
But here’s where things get thorny.
The Queensland Government isn’t backing the mayor’s call – at least, not yet. They say they’ll wait for expert advice before doing anything drastic. That’s a fair enough position. After all, knee-jerk policies tend to cause more grief than good in the long run.
But from where we sit – and we’ve been camping on K’gari since the days of canvas swags and Esky fridges – the real question isn’t whether kids should be banned. It’s about how we, as travellers, respect the environment we’re stepping into.
K’gari isn’t a theme park. It’s a place where nature still runs the show. That means wild dingoes, rough surf, and terrain that’ll humble even the most kitted-out 4X4. If you’re camping there, especially with kids, the responsibility’s on you to know the risks and act accordingly.
The current safety advice already says kids should be kept at arm’s length at all times. Don’t let them wander. Don’t feed the dingoes. Don’t leave scraps lying around. Carry a stick. Walk in groups. It’s basic bush smarts – the sort of stuff we were all raised on before helicopter parenting became a full-time sport.
And here’s the thing: a ban might be a Band-Aid solution. Sure, it might reduce the chances of a serious dingo attack, but it also chips away at something bigger. Access. Adventure. The freedom to explore. And once those things are gone, they don’t tend to come back.
So what’s the solution?
Maybe it’s not about a blanket ban. Maybe it’s time to double down on education, signage, ranger patrols, and real-time warnings. Maybe the answer is fewer soft rules and more firm expectations: If you’re camping on K’gari with kids, this is what you must do. No ifs, no buts.
Because the reality is this: K’gari is wild. That’s why we love it. But wild places come with wild risks – and if we’re not prepared to take those seriously, then yeah, maybe a ban is what’s coming next.
But wouldn’t it be better if it didn’t have to?
18 comments
So they don’t want families to camp there that so disgusting
When you start treating dogs like people, you start treating people like dogs.
I have kids and they wouldn’t get attacked because they would be within arms reach at all times.
CONTROL YOUR KIDS AND BE RESPONSIBLE AS PARENTS
putting yet another law in place “no kids” what is this country coming to.
start with shooting the dingos, same as crocodiles ,they been allowed to breed and become a pest. since when have animals been more important than a human?
If you are not prepared to be a responsible parent and look after your Kids, then don’t go to Fraser Island (yes — FRASER ISLAND). We have had enough bans on where we can go and what we can do over the last few years, so we don’t want any more restrictions.
Take a shangi if they get to close they will learn
No need to ban kids from going to k’gari, but no need to kill the dingo either when you go out into nature it’s not all butterflies and parrots, Australia has some of the deadliest wildlife in the world, all the city folk going up there with no idea need to take more responsibility, keep your children close or don’t complain when they get attacked I stayed there heaps as a kid with my Nan and pop seen dingoes everyday but never had a problem, the problem is the self entitled tourists that don’t watch there kids
Banning stupid parents would be better. I wonder if they had on tribal shirts from BCF….Bloody Complete Fools! During my visit to k’gari last year, I was appalled at the behaviour of so many 4wd’ers that I can see a total ban coming.
Get rid of the dingoes, they’re feral anyway, introduced 5000 years ago by man.
Ask yourselves whats more important, us or the animals, we can’t make any more animals when they are extinct !!!
Get rid of the problem, they are just wild dogs.
Nothing gets me more pissed off than those that are saying, kill all the dingoes! If you are going to do that then we may as well kill all the people that go there too, we have done more damage to that island in the last 50 years than all the dingoes have done in 1000 years
Absolutely correct. Well written article. Education begins at home .Parents, Guardians need to be responsible for there children.
What the!!!, the sugestion of kids not being allowed on a world heritage listed island is sad & not well thought through. I go to Fraser Island often & have been since i was 10 years old & still love the place,
Family first & last , I shoot dingoes with my camera, but I`m happy to send them a message .308 Win style if they get to close to my kids.
I think that if the way to prevent attacks is to ban kids under 12 from camp sites outside fences or even from the island altogether then so be it. I think recreation is of secondary importance to nature conservation. Inevitably killing dingoes to make K’gari safe for children is not acceptable.
For a start stop all the rubbish that comes from the residents that live on the inland they dumped it on the inland thats why so many dogs
Yeah. Let’s kill off all the dingoes. Then the sharks. Oooh. Yeah, then stingrays, THEY killed Steve Irwin.
Lets turn Fraser into a giant, 4WD-accessible McDonalds playground. Bring your kids!
But, it isn’t a playground.
Apparently, the “don’t feed the dingoes” hasn’t been enough. Well, the next step, is logical. Leave your kids at home.
Want to take your kids to a place where there’s “wild” animals, take them to Australia bloody Zoo.
Ban the dumb cashed up bogans that don’t respect the animals nor the traditional land. It’s a very special place stop taking it for granted. Families should only be allowed behind the fences because everyone is sick of this debate. Just do the right thing when you are there! If you can’t or won’t look after your kid/s 24/7 on the island then don’t go.