An Australian woman has captured a chilling reminder of the deadly dangers of a seemingly family-friendly waterway.
He filmed a group of parents and children in canoes and stand-up paddleboards at the base of the Lake Argyle Dam on the border between Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
The families seemed unaware that there was a crocodile trap just a few metres away on the riverbank.
“We have a nice canoe ride down the river… and there’s an alligator trap right there,” the woman said in a video posted on X.
‘Oh, look at the children! What delicious, juicy children!
“Australia, come and enjoy a wonderful holiday. We don’t give a shit.”
Many viewers were shocked to see the families’ nonchalant attitude towards being in open water among potentially deadly crocodiles.
One said the video was a “brilliant tourism advert for Australia”, while a second asked if the woman was “aware that crocodiles also walk on land”.
A woman saw families canoeing at the base of the Lake Argyle dam
Another noted that Lake Argyle is relatively safe for swimming as it is a freshwater system and home primarily to freshwater crocodiles, which are “less aggressive and smaller.”
The lake is home to the world’s largest population of Johnston River crocodiles, also known as Australian freshwater crocodiles.
The species are more shy than their saltwater counterparts and feed primarily on insects and fish.
Adult crocodiles often hunt wallabies and waterfowl.
However, they are known to be shy and are generally considered not dangerous to humans unless agitated.
Locals in the area often swim in the lake knowing not to look for crocodiles.
The annual Lake Argyle Swim takes place on the first Saturday in May.
The family was enjoying a day on the water just metres from a crocodile trap (pictured)
The groups were seen canoeing in the water metres away.
Swimming in the lake is considered to be “at your own risk” after authorities euthanized a 2.5-metre freshwater crocodile when it bit a woman in the lake in 2022.
Tourists are warned not to camp or swim on remote shores, where crocodiles may become defensive of their nests or basking spots.
Although it is primarily inhabited by freshwater crocodiles, visitors are also urged to be wary of saltwater species, which are known to venture into the lake after rains.
