An Indigenous woman has demanded authorities shut down K’gari over fears dingoes are stalking visitors after a Canadian backpacker was found dead.
Samala Cronin urged authorities to act swiftly and ban visitors from travelling to the island off the south-east Queensland coast .
Her plea comes after Piper James, 19, was found dead on January 19, her body surrounded by a pack of dingoes.
An autopsy uncovered evidence of ‘pre-mortem’ dingo bites, but found drowning was most likely the cause of death.
Ms Cronin made the chilling claim the dingoes had been stalking Ms James and that the wild dogs are targeting humans.
‘That’s what they do because they’re a wild animal. That pack has taught itself to hunt humans,’ she said.
‘They’re hunting humans because they’re starving. They’re starving because their natural resources are being exploited for tourism.’
Ms James was working at the tourist hotspot, formerly known as Fraser Island, and it was reported she went for an early morning swim at the beach.
Samala Thakialee Cronin urged authorities to take action immediately and stop visitors from travelling to the island off the coast of south-east Queensland
Her plea comes after Piper James, 19, was found dead on January 19, with her body surrounded by a pack of dingoes
Her body was found a short time later surrounded by at least 10 dingoes near a popular tourist site, the SS Maheno wreck.
Ms Cronin argued Ms James would not have gone for a swim, as she would have been aware that the water was too dangerous after living on the island for six weeks.
‘You do not go swimming on the eastern beach. You’re shark bait if you swim on the eastern beach,’ she said.
‘It’s a tiger shark breeding ground. The continental shelf sits 3km out from there. And those rips, those tides, and those currents are crazy.
‘You do not swim on the eastern side of the island… one of the first things you learn if you go to K’gari.’
She claimed the dingoes had started to pick up on her habits because ‘every morning she would go and ring her parents at 5am’.
‘She would walk to get reception on the beach because that’s where you get reception,’ Ms Cronin said.
‘When I found out she was doing that, I was like, “Wow, they stalked her”.’
Ms Cronin argued Ms James would not have gone for a swim, as she would have been aware that the water was too dangerous after living on the island for six weeks
Dingoes roam K’gari, often coming into contact with humans (stock image)
Ms Cronin claimed the dingoes likely chased Ms James, corralled her into the ocean, and drove her into the water where she drowned.
She said K’gari ‘needs to be shut down’ because there are too many people on the island.
Ms Cronin said the island’s natural resources have been exploited for tourism, leaving wild dogs without enough food.
‘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.’
It’s understood Ms James had recently landed a job working with backpackers on K’gari and was camping near Woralie Road at Seventy Five Mile Beach.
Rangers increased patrols across K’gari – the world’s largest sand island – following the tragedy.
Six dingoes have since been euthanised after showing ‘aggressive behaviour’.
Ms James’ father Todd revealed the family will be travelling to Australia
Ms Cronin claimed it was well-known that swimming in certain parts of K’gari was dangerous
There are many warning signs on K’gari telling tourists of the dangers of dingoes
Ms James’ family will travel from Canada and arrive in Queensland on Tuesday for a ceremony held near where her body was discovered as they come to terms with the tragedy.
There will also be a traditional smoking ceremony alongside the Butchulla Indigenous people of K’gari.
Ms James’ father Todd confirmed the family’s travel plans on social media.
‘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,’ he wrote on Facebook.
‘We will return with Piper back home to Canada… Not ready to say goodbye.’
