'Hectic' footage highlights deadly risks on iconic Aussie island: 'Nature at its best'

With sharks in the shallows and dingoes on the shoreline, this slice of Australia's coast shows off the ferocity of the country's native wildlife.

A photo of a K'gari (Fraser Island) beach, showing two dingoes on the sand and a shark in the shallows.
Incredible, quintessentially Australian footage has emerged of the risks to travellers on K'gari. Source: Kristie Trudgett/Facebook

Gnarly footage showing several big sharks circling the shoreline in front of a pack of hungry dingoes on the sand serves as a timely reminder to never swim in the sea on this popular east coast island.

Posting to social media on Monday, an Australian woman recalled how she had just been fishing along the shore on K'gari, formerly Fraser Island, in Queensland, when she saw the dangerous animals ahead.

She encountered a total of nine dingoes, and at least a handful of sharks in the water. "And this is why they say, don't swim at Fraser — f*****g sharks just cruising the beach," the woman is heard saying in the footage.

A pack of dingoes on the sand at K'gari.
The popular island hotspot is synonymous with its dingo inhabitants, with authorities urging visitors to steer clear. Source: Kristie Trudgett/Facebook

While the scenes are enough to deter most people from swimming on the island, a spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) reiterated the woman's message.

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Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, the spokesperson encouraged visitors to the region to respect the local wildlife, by enjoying them from afar.

"K’gari is not only a beautiful world-heritage tourist destination; it is also home to many native animals, as seen in these pictures," the spokesperson said.

"Dingoes are apex predators and frequent the beaches on K’gari, as they look for food and socialise in their natural habitat.

"When visiting K’gari it is important to Be dingo-safe! by remaining vigilant of your surroundings, keeping children within arm’s length, never walking or swimming alone, and always carrying a stick."

Incredible videos uploaded alongside the post show several large, metres-long sharks with their dorsal fins breaching the water swimming up and down the shallows. "This is hectic," the woman continued as she filmed. "They are not dolphins people. We were just standing down by the water fishing — no way."

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The video then pans to right, where almost a dozen dingoes can be seen rumbling in the sand. One curious dog, which the woman thought was a juvenile, even at one point approaches a shark close to the shore, seemingly examining whether it could become lunch.

It quickly decides to change tactics when realising the marine predator's size.

Sharks swim close to the shore at K'gari beach.
Travellers have long been encouraged to avoid swimming in the ocean on K'gari, formerly Fraser Island. Source: Kristie Trudgett/Facebook

Online, people responded to the footage with awe. "That's awesome, viewing nature as it should be, sharks looking for a feed and dingoes eating the scraps of fish on the shore," one man said.

"Wow nature at its best. The dingoes are beautiful," said a woman. "Never could swim there in the last 100 years, don't think it will change," another commented.

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