croc range in WA

There was one recently sited in Onslow apparently, although I dont think you would want to cross too many creeks in WA in a car due to them being salt water (well, between Pt Hedland and Exmouth at least).
Drew

Sastra, I can't answer your question with any authority but I have recently returned from a trip that covered most of coastal Aus. On the Qld coast warning signs are posted as far south as Rockhampton. I saw crocs near Mackay which isn't too much further north so I can accept that they travel as far south as Rocky which is on Tropic of Capricorn. WA is interesting. They tend to be a bit blase about crocs as you head south. If you follow the latitude line from Qld they should theoretically be between Carnarvon and Exmouth. Tourists are assured that they can swim at Broome and at Cp Leveque (well north of Exmouth). There are certainly crocs across the bay from the swimming beach at Cp Leveque and in the water at Willie Ck a short distance from Cable Beach in Broome. We swam at Quandong (near Willie Ck), Middle Lagoon )over half way between Broome and Cp Leveque and many others were in the water also. Stingers are a much bigger issue as warmer weather approaches. I tend to see what the locals are doing and ask rangers. If there are mangroves or Barra anywhere nearby I wouldn't swim regardless. Sharks at some beaches can be an issue also. We heard of a recent case at Eighty Mile Bch where a beach fisherman was attacked in water no deeper than his knees and required stitches to his ankle.
Hope this has been of some help.

Hi Sastra,
Have recently come back from Broome and while on a tour at the perl farm the guide mentiond that there was one in willie creek(about 15k up from cable beach) at the time,she said they cant catch it because its full of barra and wont eat chicken!anyway its up to you weather you belive it or not but cable beach was D-lightfull to swim in!.
Cheers
Grant

Have swum at Cable Beach many times. Only problem I had was a somewhat large fish with lottsa needle sharp teeth body surfing the same wave. It was on the northern side of the rocks, and those on the beach thought I was a lot more important than I am. They rekkon I ran on water :))))))))

I think there is no doubt about their being crocs around Broome. We've had locals tells us a few stories about crocs being seen on Cable Beach and Roebuck Bay. As for Cape Leveque, we've swum there but crocs are often sighted in the waters around the Cape. I have heard of crocs being spotted as far south as Port Hedland but could just be gossip.

:o) Melissa

Sastra,

We have been woken in the middle of the night by a community announcement on the telephone reporting a crocodile in Port Hedland. As far as I know I would be wary of them in the mangroves around Broome but much further south shouldn't be such a problem. There have been sightings as far south as Onslow but these are vary rare and are on the coast only. Any river crossings slightly inland are not a problem. I don't know but my assumption is that these crocs are not a threat because they are usually just looking for somewhere else to make their territory and are not threatened. Give it a few more years and I reckon they'll adapt to the cooler waters and spread further south.

Just my opinion, cheers

Matt.

Realisticly you don't need to worry about saltwater crocs South of the Fitzroy river mouth--which is about 50km. South of Derby.Most sightings further South of this have been extreemly isolated and nothing to get alarmed about.Have travelled that coast many times and I think that this is a very good guide.

Saw one in Margaret river last time we were there in 2003.