Details have emerged of the efforts Queensland authorities took in the early days of the blaze, eventually burning more than half the World Heritage-listed site (formerly Fraser Island).
Internal Queensland government documents detail the early scramble to manage the blaze, which burned more than half the World Heritage-listed island across two months from October last year.
Premium Content Two Fraser Island campgrounds have been temporarily closed due for dingo management. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services announced the temporary closures of Wathumba camping area, Teebing camping area and Wathumba Rd until February 28. Regional Director Mick Cubis said We re taking this action now to reduce the potential for further negative interactions and ensure the long-term viability of the dingo population on Fraser Island. This will have long-term benefits for our iconic natural ecosystems and tourism, with many people coming to the island. hoping to see or get long-range photographs of the dingoes. Unfortunately, some day visitors and campers in the Wathumba area have been deliberately or inadvertently feeding the dingoes or interacting with them for selfies.
Visitor numbers to Fraser Island could be slashed and tourists barred from its fragile sites amid growing calls to keep the World Heritage area dangerous, wild and special. The 123km island - one of Australia s best-known tourism destinations - attracts about 400,000 domestic and international visitors every year. Debate about the coexistence of tourists and wildlife has now reignited after Thursday s dingo attack at Orchid Beach in which a child received minor abrasions. The incident prompted Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour to call for a review into the management of the island. We need to care for - and in some cases step back from - the wild places we still have in our midst, he said.