Skip to main content

Peak hour in West Arnhem

28 November 2014

The tail end of another traffic jam, this time at Cahill’s Crossing on the Gunbalanya road. PHOTO: GORDON SMITH The tail end of another traffic jam, this time at Cahill’s Crossing on the Gunbalanya road. PHOTO: GORDON SMITH

THE water levels may be low at Cahill’s Crossing at this time of year, but the croc count is still pretty high, as West Arnhem Regional Council’s Gordon Smith discovered recently. 

The Regional Manager for Service Delivery was driving to Gunbalanya early on Monday 17 November when he was held up by a large crocodile loitering right in the middle of the well-known barra-hunting spot. 

“He didn’t want to get off the road,” Gordon told The Wire. “He walked around in a bit of a circle, but was in no hurry to leave. “I persuaded him to move in the end.” 

At the time of going to press, Gordon’s croc photo had attracted nearly 9500 views on the West Arnhem Regional Council facebook page, proving that if there’s one thing people love – or love to hate – it’s a rogue croc. 

One of the facebook commenters, Suzann Bailey, said she counted 10 big lizards at Cahill’s Crossing only a few weeks ago.

“There were four on one side of the road and about six on the other side and the tide was rushing in,” Suzann wrote.  “Ugly looking things!” 

We are not going to argue with that assessment.