An Indigenous woman has issued a stark demand for authorities to shut down K'gari, the island formerly known as Fraser Island, following the tragic death of a Canadian backpacker. Samala Thakialee Cronin is urging immediate action to ban visitors from travelling to the island off the south-east Queensland coast, citing fears that dingoes are actively stalking humans.
Chilling Claims After Backpacker's Death
Her plea comes after Piper James, a 19-year-old Canadian backpacker, was found dead on January 19th. Her body was discovered surrounded by a pack of dingoes near the SS Maheno wreck, a popular tourist site on the island. An autopsy revealed evidence of 'pre-mortem' dingo bites, but concluded that drowning was most likely the cause of death.
Ms Cronin has made the chilling assertion that the dingoes had been stalking Ms James and that these wild dogs are now targeting humans as prey. 'That's what they do because they're a wild animal. That pack has taught itself to hunt humans,' she stated emphatically.
Tourism Exploitation Blamed
According to Ms Cronin, the dingoes are hunting humans because they are starving, a direct result of their natural resources being exploited for tourism. 'They're hunting humans because they're starving. They're starving because their natural resources are being exploited for tourism,' she explained.
She argued that Ms James, who had been working at the tourist hotspot and living on the island for six weeks, would not have gone for an early morning swim as reported. 'You do not go swimming on the eastern beach. You're shark bait if you swim on the eastern beach,' Ms Cronin said, highlighting the dangerous tiger shark breeding grounds, strong rips, and currents in that area.
Pattern of Stalking Alleged
Ms Cronin claimed the dingoes had likely picked up on Ms James's habits, as she would walk to the beach every morning at 5am to get reception to ring her parents. 'When I found out she was doing that, I was like, "Wow, they stalked her".' She suggested the dingoes may have chased Ms James, corralled her into the ocean, and driven her into the water where she drowned.
The Indigenous leader insists that K'gari 'needs to be shut down' because there are too many people on the island. 'Their environment has been taken over by people who treat it like a holiday place,' she said. 'It's not. It's a dangerous place.'
Aftermath and Response
Following the tragedy, rangers have increased patrols across K'gari, the world's largest sand island. In a significant development, six dingoes have since been euthanised after displaying 'aggressive behaviour'.
Ms James's family is now travelling from Canada to Queensland for a ceremony near where her body was discovered. Her father, Todd James, confirmed the travel plans on social media, writing: 'It is now time to go to Australia to be with Piper, walk where she last walked, and try to feel the spirit of my baby girl in some way.' The family plans to hold a traditional smoking ceremony alongside the Butchulla Indigenous people of K'gari.
Despite many warning signs on the island alerting tourists to dingo dangers, this incident has reignited debates about balancing tourism with wildlife conservation and public safety on this unique Australian island.
