Young boy airlifted to hospital after dingo attack on K’gari

A young boy has been flown to hospital after being attacked by a dingo on K’gari, about 250 kilometres north of Brisbane.

The primary-school-aged child was approached by the dingo about 2pm on Saturday while walking on the beach with his grandfather near the popular Coolooloi Creek camping area on the island’s southern tip.

The boy suffered head lacerations and bite injuries, and was transported via private means to Rainbow Beach, where he was treated by paramedics.

He was later airlifted by rescue helicopter to the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane in a stable condition for further treatment.

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service is investigating.

At least four dingo attacks on K’gari, formerly Fraser Island, have been reported this year. The most recent, in May, involved a nine-year-old boy being attacked near Yidney Rocks Beachfront Units before bystanders allegedly intervened and injured the dingo.

In April, a woman was bitten on the hand at the island’s Winnam camping area when she was approached by five dingoes.

The Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation has warned that dingoes only need to be fed or find scraps once to form a food association with people or an area.

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