I apologise in advance for my voice in this episode! I’ve been quite sick this week and I’m still getting my voice back, so this is a shorter episode than usual. I had a much bigger episode planned for this week, but I really wanted to get something out for you guys rather than nothing at all.
And when I saw the recent footage from Cahills Crossing, I couldn’t believe what I was watching.
Cahills Crossing, on the East Alligator River in Kakadu National Park, is one of those places that has become almost infamous for people underestimating the danger. There are warning signs, a viewing platform and plenty of information telling visitors to keep away from the water, but people still get dangerously close.
In this episode, I talk about the recent viral footage showing children playing right at the water’s edge while a large saltwater crocodile moves through the water nearby. Experts who examined the footage said the crocodile appeared to be following a fish rather than deliberately approaching the children, but that doesn’t make the situation any less dangerous.
I also look back at two confirmed fatal crocodile attacks at Cahills Crossing.
In 1987, 40-year-old Kerry McLoughlin was killed while fishing at the crossing. I found contemporary reporting from the time which included eyewitness accounts of the attack and some incredible details about what happened that day.
I also talk about the 2017 death of a 47-year-old man who disappeared while crossing the river. One of the most powerful accounts I found came from former Northern Territory police officer Sam, who was involved in the search and recovery operation. Sam later spoke about what happened and the impact of seeing someone he knew die in such horrific circumstances.
I also share my own experience crossing a croc-infested river in the Territory and why river crossings still make me extremely nervous.
This is a shorter episode, but I wanted to talk about Cahills Crossing because the recent footage was a pretty confronting reminder that the warnings aren't there for decoration.
The crocodiles were there first.
Maybe I'll come back to Cahills Crossing in a future episode and tell some of the other crazy stories from the crossing, because there are plenty of them.
Territory Famous is a podcast about Northern Territory stories, true crime, Territory history, folklore, strange characters and the unbelievable things that actually happened in the Top End.
Thanks for sticking with me while my voice recovers. ❤️
CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses fatal crocodile attacks and death.
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Researched and written by: Kellie Arrowsmith
Audio editor: Bar Brawl Records
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Cover art: http://www.joshbauer.com/
"Skimpy' - a Territory memoir: Kellie Arrowsmith Books - Hachette Australia
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