Two women have been attacked by dingoes in separate incidents on K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island.
The first happened about 11.45am on Thursday when two dingoes, or wongari, fitted with tracking collars approached a group of seven adults at Eli Creek.
“One of the wongari lunged and mouthed a woman on the thigh,” a statement from Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science (DES) said.
“A member of the group threw a stick at the wongari and scared them off.”
Shortly after, the animals approached a woman from behind. She fell when she turned and saw the dingoes. One of the animals bit her on the thigh.
Rangers arrived and helped the woman, offering her medical assistance, which she turned down.
Investigations have been launched into both incidents.
It comes just says after a man was filmed on K’gari offering a water bottle to a dingo near Waddy Point beach at the weekend.
Senior Ranger Linda Behrendorff says it’s left her fellow rangers dismayed.
“Following those incidents between people and wongari, rangers have increased our patrols and our camping area education,” Ms Behrendorff says.
“And despite our efforts and the publicity surrounding those recent incidents, people are still engaging with wongari on K’gari.”
She says the man ignored clear safety messages on the barge over to the island, and all the signage on the island advising people to keep their distance.
“People must understand that just one interaction like this can set wongari on the path to becoming habituated, and ignoring this means ignoring the consequences for human safety and for the wongari,” Ms Behrendorff says.
“Deliberate interactions like this are extremely frustrating, because rangers have to manage people and wongari on K’gari.”
The man could be hit with a $2474 fine.
Anyone with information about these incidents and other negative interactions is encouraged to contact a QPWS ranger by calling (07) 4127 9150.
A woman was attacked by a pack of dingoes on K’gari while jogging on a beach in July.
Two separate incidents in June saw a boy attacked and held underwater, while a French tourist was bitten on the rear as she was sunbathing.