Dingo’s ...... don’t be afraid be weary !!!!

[jeeps]

We camp Fraser most every year, since the kids were little and havent yet had a problem with dingo's. We get these little safety air horns from BCF for each of the kids to carry if they might be a little way down the beach from us .. they are loud and " DO " scare the dingo's away, have used them a few times just to encourage an inquisitive dingo to move on .$14 well spent and last for years . fairly small, fits in the palm of your hand .

Great idea! but i reckon the kids would use them up pretty quick. I wonder if there is something similar which can be 'recharged' from a 12v compressor?

cheers

[edz]

Hey Jeeps.
Yep I thought the same too but the girls have been realy good, think its because they are pretty loud up close ..
Have seen refillable gas cannister kits for Coleman hot water units, wonder if one of those would work if filled with comressed air .mmmmm food for thought .

[Boo Boo]

We camp Fraser most every year, since the kids were little and havent yet had a problem with dingo's. We get these little safety air horns from BCF for each of the kids to carry if they might be a little way down the beach from us .. they are loud and " DO " scare the dingo's away, have used them a few times just to encourage an inquisitive dingo to move on .$14 well spent and last for years . fairly small, fits in the palm of your hand .

Totally agree edz as yogi and I always take our refillable air horn with us.  After visiting Fraser Island for the past 8 years it has worked a treat to encourage curious dingoes to move on, which we have never had any issues with dingoes.  Keeping in mind that we follow all the rules with rubbish and food storage.  We do enjoy seeing the dingoes and even had the odd surprise of one cutting through camp - on each occasion the dingoes didn't stop and made their way down to the beach.  We just keep the air horn somewhere safe away from children and we educate all the kids on its proper use because if they were to hold the air horn to someone's ear it would or could cause some permanent damage as the air horn is extremely loud.  Wouldn't be a nice way to finish a holiday.

Amanda

[yogi]

Here you go ........ http://www.biasboating.com.au/product_p/2401.htm

yogi

[Boo Boo]

Thought I'd just bump this topic back to the top so everyone is aware of the requirements camping on Fraser Island when it comes to Dingos.  Also when is needed to make our camp area boring to the Dingos, even though they will still come through there won't be any reason to stick around.

Direct from DERM site http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/fraser/dingo-safe.html#lock_up_your_food_stores

> Store food, bait, berley, fish, iceboxes and rubbish—food scraps, soiled nappies, tampons etc—inside the vehicle, not on top, and close all the doors. 

> While cooking, leave no food unattended; not even scraps or spills.

> Clean up straight after cooking and eating, or store dirty dishes inside a closed vehicle.

> Pour dirty washing up water into a deep hole well away from your camp or use the washing up facilities at the campgrounds.

> Remove all dingo attractants, including beer cans, juice and milk containers, empty cans, dish washing cloths and tea towels—anything that smells sweet or looks like food.

There is further information on the DERM site which yogi has on the first page of this thread.

[UTE 701]

Just one question ....

Is it my fault if a Dingo walks in the way while I'm practicing with my slingshot ?

[Blueroo]

Is it cool to sprinkle ample amounts of pepper around the camper every few days. It works with cats.
stue

[Boo Boo]

What ever we do on Fraser is always within the rules as set by DERM.

Yogi and I have only ever taken the following item to scare off dingos, if a dingo is just having a look and isn't causing any problems we don't use it :-

Here you go ........ http://www.biasboating.com.au/product_p/2401.htm

yogi

All food items are required to be put away in safe spots where dingos can not access or get in to.  Once we were at Fraser and had a visit from one of the Rangers and it was said to us 'if you put it in your mouth a dingo will also', this also extends to toothpaste / soap / shampoo etc.  So basically in accordance with DERM leave no food items out.  All rubbish will need to go into cars at night. 

You can be garanteed a visit from the Rangers whilst on the Island as they do go through the rules and generally will check how food etc. is stored.

Hope this helps.

[chester ver2.0]

When we were there 3 years ago the rangers were full on we had our camp inspected every second day and whilst we were good after having a cuppa with the rangers he was telling us that he was handing out fines in record numbers.

A good tip he gave us is to put a tie down strap around an esky even if it is just a drinks esky as the buggers have figured out how to open them.

Whilst we had no direct encounters there were fresh paw prints around the camp every morning

[yogi]

Good advise chester ver2.0 .... I think the Rangers like you to have the tie down straps on any box containing food.

Like you said the dingos are going to be visiting weather you realize it or not so keep the camp boring and they wont stick around log enough to get them selves into trouble

yogi

[Blueroo]

Boring camp for dingo's sounds good. It all sounds like very common sense stuff with good house keeping. It'll be good to have a yarn with the rangers, they can generally give us the run down on conditions around the place as well.
Hey what about porta-potties,do they cause any issues with the dingos'. I suppose it would help to have a strap to tie the lid down.
cheers
Stue

[Rumpig]

the whole thing with dingos on the island is exactly that, common sense stuff. don't be afraid of them, if they come into your camp they will likely run away as soon as you get anywhere near them, that's what they have always done over the last 20 years i've been visiting the island there anyhow.
if you have kids then supervise them, don't let them out of your sight at all, sounds extreme but that's the way it is if you want to be 100% sure they will be ok. the boy who died and kid who got "attacked" last year at Easter time were nowhere near their parents when the events happened, if the parents were with them then i doubt i'd be mentioning the attacks at all now as they'd likely of never happened.
i don't understand why people want to shoot them with a slingshot or whatever to scare the dogs away, they are beautiful animals and very weary of people, trying to get a decent pic of them is not an easy thing to do. the whole hysteria over them just doesn't make sense to me, enjoy them "if" you see them, because many people visit the island and barely get a glimpse of them whilst they are there.

[Niley]

Looks like the Dingos are very active in the area we are camping based upon the lasted conditions report. being a 1st time for us we really don't know what to expect so i guess we will be hanging with the group most if not at all times.

owwwwwwww!!!!

[Boo Boo]

All I can suggest is to become familiar with information regarding dingoes, which is available on the DERM site.  Educate the whole family especially the children what to do and not to do, this also extends to all adults.  The video may be good for the little ones.

Dingo safety video
http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/media/parks_and_forests/dingo_csa.wmv

General Dingo information
http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/fraser/fraser-island-dingoes.html

Dingo management information
http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/fraser/dingo-management.html


DERM WARNING

Fraser Island's dingoes are wild and unpredictable. They are possibly one of the purest populations of dingo in Australia and are protected by law. You cannot feed dingoes or any wildlife on Fraser Island. Rangers do check and you will be fined. Plan carefully to be dingo-safe. Follow the guidelines given in brochures and signs.

Bring strong lockable containers to lock up food and rubbish from animals. Do not hang rubbish, food, fish, bait or burley from cars, trees or tents.

Be dingo-safe at the rubbish bins
Never go alone or at night.
Leave no rubbish lying around—bin everything!
If a bin is full, please use another.

Important: report dingo encounters

Please report any negative or close encounter with dingoes to the nearest ranger as soon as you can. Alternatively, phone (07) 5486 9966 or email dingo.ranger@derm.qld.gov.au

Be dingo-safe. Always be close (within 5 metres) to your children. Keep food and waste locked in your vehicle at night.

All wildlife is protected. Approach dingoes, resting shorebirds and all other wildlife slowly, and carefully drive around them.


Everytime we go to Fraser I read up on what to do in case a dingo is around so I am prepare.

I just send in yogi    No seriously we are in their home so it's important to know what to do to protect all.

[Mace]

Local Girl dingo story.

http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2012/07/18/511695_national-news.html

[Boo Boo]

Local Girl dingo story.

http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2012/07/18/511695_national-news.html

A few news stories are also reporting that it can't be confirmed it was actually a dingo that the park had been experiencing some problems with dogs.  Just the common part was the colouring.  We were in Kakadu in 2010 and witnessed a dingo/dog (was a mix) open an esky for the food, so that is why we will all be keeping our campsite nice and boring.

Lets respect the dingo in its domain as I hate hearing stories of a dingo being put down due to human interaction leading to it being a pest.

[Rumpig]

Local Girl dingo story.

http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2012/07/18/511695_national-news.html

we stayed at that very park last year and the people in reception warned us about the wild dogs that enter the park on sunset, we were warned not to leave shoes and towels or food etc out, as the dogs would steal it. i doubt very much the dog even knew someone was in the sleeping bag as it went to steal it, the media have beaten this story up big time IMHO.
i'm not alone in my thoughts either, i read this on exploreoz forum earlier....

Oh dear, never let the facts get in the way of a good headline!

I watched the interview with the mother and girl last night.

They were interviewed outside the caravan.
They had been warned previously not to leave any towels, footware, clothing outside at night because the dingos come around and take them.
The girl wanted to sleep outside the van in her sleeping bag and her mother agreed to this.
The girl was not in a swag, nor did she have any other external covering over the bag.
In the night, she felt something tugging at the bag and woke to find a dingo pulling at the foot of the bag
She sat up and yelled at the dingo and it immediately ran away.
The bag had a rip in the covering near the foot of the bag.
The girl was not at any stage attacked by the dingo.

So much for the facts as reported by the mother and girl.

Headlines?

"Dingo drags 13 year old in sleeping bag" Not so.
"Dingo rips sleeping bag off teen camper" Not so.
"Dingo drags girl from van" Not so.

So much for accurate reporting

Cheers
Andrew

[Teabag]

This is a funny read. Not for the German tourist though....:-)

http://www.news.com.au/national/dingo-attacks-tourist-on-fraser-island/story-fndo4eg9-1226437501031

[Tjupurula]

I have never been to Fraser Island, but I am surprised by this attack.  People must have been feeding the dingoes or something, as normally dingoes are very scared of people, and will get away frequently before you see them.  I am only talking from experience around Lake Gregory, we have heaps of dingoes, and we rarely see them, they are gone when they hear a car.
Predators (and dingoes are just that), are not a creature that can be successfully tamed, they will always turn, but for dingoes to attack people, that sounds more like a defensive mode than a hunting mode.  I could be wrong, but that is from my own experiences.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Teabag]

I have never been to Fraser Island, but I am surprised by this attack.  People must have been feeding the dingoes or something, as normally dingoes are very scared of people, and will get away frequently before you see them.  I am only talking from experience around Lake Gregory, we have heaps of dingoes, and we rarely see them, they are gone when they hear a car.
Predators (and dingoes are just that), are not a creature that can be successfully tamed, they will always turn, but for dingoes to attack people, that sounds more like a defensive mode than a hunting mode.  I could be wrong, but that is from my own experiences.
Regards
Tjupurula

Dingo's on Fraser are far from scared of people. They see humans as a supply of food ie scrapes left around and food tubes left open for easy access. They will happily wander through your camp....Cam Champion had one tear his wheel carrier rubbish bag trying to get to the rubbish inside the fully sealed bag....

[Tjupurula]

Hi Teabag
I guess for dingoes to be behaving in such a way, people have fed them at some stage, otherwise they would not relate people to food, they would see people as danger.  I understand that such attacks must be horrific, but I blame the people who have allowed the dingoes to lose their fear by feeding them.  They are most definitely not a pet.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Teabag]

Hi Teabag
I guess for dingoes to be behaving in such a way, people have fed them at some stage, otherwise they would not relate people to food, they would see people as danger.  I understand that such attacks must be horrific, but I blame the people who have allowed the dingoes to lose their fear by feeding them.  They are most definitely not a pet.
Regards
Tjupurula

Bud, I think there are many, many reasons for dingos to be the way they are on Fraser and nearly all are our fault and the tree huggers......Attacks on Fraser will continue to happen and my guess would be more frequently. Hence when we stayed there at Christmas we stayed at Dilli Village which is fully Dingo fenced. Gave peace of mind with the kids as I have a some to be 5 and 4 year old. You would regularly see Dingos patrolling outside the fence......It's only going to get worst...

[Tjupurula]

I will be honest, if we had any kind of problem like that, which we get sometimes with camp dogs gone feral, we just get the rifles out and solve the problem.  I know that probably cannot be done there, but sometime common sense will have to prevail,. and the dingoes will have to be dispatched.
Tjupurula

[nbd73]

We stayed near Eurong about 3 yrs ago and they were cunning menaces. It's the locals who feed them that cause them to be so tame. They would descend on the camp site in a group, say 3-4 in view on one side to distract you. Meanwhile another 1-2 would be sneaking around the other side of the site looking for food. Broke into a tent in this way and helped themselves whilst we were looking the other way.  Have been going to Fraser for 30yrs on and off, but no more after that experience. With 2 youngsters it's too much of a risk, and besides unless you camp at one of the dedicated grounds fires are banned, and a fire at the beach is one of life's great free pleasures IMO.
Enjoy yourselves all...

[Teabag]

http://www.news.com.au/national/dingo-attacks-tourist-on-fraser-island/story-fndo4eg9-1226437501031