Crocodiles at Cape Leveque

by Greg Grehan
(Brisbane, Queensland)

"Swimming Beach" at Cape Leveque

Contrary to what is written on your website, the swimming beach at Cape Leveque is NOT crocodile-free. While staying in a beach shelter at the Kooljaman Resort there in May, a 2 metre salty swam past us at the beach at lunch time.

The people in the water got out pretty quickly and the temporary signs were hastily put up to warn tourists of the croc as the resort proclaimed this to be a safe swimming beach, free from crocs.

While the beach is probably safe most of the time, a well-known croc habitat does exist in the creek about 6km from Cape Leveque. Crocs do venture out into these waters occasionally.

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Crocodiles at Cape Leveque

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Thanks So Much For This Update!!
by: Birgit

Hi Greg!

Thanks for this update!

For other readers: yes, Hunter Creek is saltwater crocodile habitat. Visitors are informed on arrival that there are crocodiles at Hunter Creek. I also mention it on the main Cape Leveque page. Maybe I should emphasize it more...

Since saltwater crocodiles have been declared a protected species their numbers have been steadily increasing. Every male crocodile needs its own territory, so they always move into new areas where they have not been seen before. (The saltwater crocodiles page has more info on this.)

If the area around swim beach was suitable for crocodiles the crocs would have settled there long ago. There is something about the location and the currents that has kept them away all this time.

Up until this year there had not been any crocodile sightings at swim beach. It looks as if this may be about to change...

With rising crocodile numbers the pressure increases and such sightings are bound to become more frequent.

I guess this will mean monitoring and trapping of crocodiles that venture in the direction of the resort beaches. (Very common at many other tourist attractions across the north, e.g. Katherine Gorge and Kakadu.) The Kooljaman management will make sure that visitors can continue to enjoy crocodile free beaches...

Anyway, very interesting occurrence and update. Thanks for writing!!

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Submitted by: Birgit

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Hi Greg! Thanks for this update! For other readers: yes, Hunter Creek is saltwater crocodile habitat. Visitors are informed on arrival that there are crocodiles at Hunter Creek. I also mention it on the main Cape Leveque page. Maybe I should emphasize it more... Since saltwater crocodiles have been declared a protected species their numbers have been steadily increasing. Every male crocodile needs its own territory, so they always move into new areas where they have not been seen before. (The <a href="http://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/saltwater-crocodiles.html" rel="nofollow">saltwater crocodiles page</a> has more info on this.) If the area around swim beach was suitable for crocodiles the crocs would have settled there long ago. There is something about the location and the currents that has kept them away all this time. Up until this year there had not been any crocodile sightings at swim beach. It looks as if this may be about to change... With rising crocodile numbers the pressure increases and such sightings are bound to become more frequent. I guess this will mean monitoring and trapping of crocodiles that venture in the direction of the resort beaches. (Very common at many other tourist attractions across the north, e.g. Katherine Gorge and Kakadu.) The Kooljaman management will make sure that visitors can continue to enjoy crocodile free beaches... Anyway, very interesting occurrence and update. Thanks for writing!!

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It was certainly a surprise!
by: Greg Grehan

Thanks for posting a reply to my crocodile update so quickly! It was certainly a surprise to see one swimming past us at Cape Leveque's swimming beach! I hear it's usually rare to actually see them swimming off a beach. At first I thought it was a log, but it was cruising in the opposite direction to the current. Then came the tell-tale snout. I got a few pics, but they're not too clear.

The staff at Kooljamin had said that they had never had problems with crocs there either... just goes to show how things can quickly change!

Once again, thanks for the reply!
Look forward to my next adventures in Northwest WA...

by: Birgit

It sure is rare to see one there. I would be willing to bet that you saw a young male that had been forced out to sea by the territorial behaviour of the established males in the creek. Was probably lost and looking for somewhere suitable...

I doubt he would have caused trouble. I doubt that crocodiles will cause ANY trouble there in the foreseeable future. But, of course, just to see one is enough to scare most people silly. I don't blame them. Saltwater crocodiles are the only creatures in Australia that are truly dangerous, and without a very good understanding of their nature and how they operate you just can't be too cautious around them.

All the best to you and hopefully you'll soon be back for more adventures!