The northeastern region of Australia is facing renewed focus following the fatal crocodile encounter that took the life of Dr. Dave Hogbin, a 40-year-old resident of New South Wales. His death marks the second such attack in a month and the third this year, which has caused alarm over the growing interactions between humans and these formidable reptiles in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Dr. Hogbin was on a holiday with his wife, Jane, and their three young children in Cooktown, Queensland. On the afternoon of August 3, 2024, during a walk on a steep riverbank near the Annan River, the ground beneath him suddenly collapsed, causing him to fall into the river.
Bart Harrison, a resident of Cooktown, referred to the area as notoriously hazardous due to the frequent presence of large crocodiles. “We grew up watching the crocs swim around there, and I wouldn’t go near that edge,” stated Harrison.
Dr. Hogbin’s wife, Jane, recalls hearing the splash and quickly rushing to her husband’s aid. Their relaxing holiday turned tragic in a matter of seconds. She tried to pull him to safety but began to slide into the river herself. In a final act of selflessness, Dr. Hogbin released his grip, sacrificing his own life to prevent her from falling in.
In the aftermath of the incident, a search operation was initiated to find Dr. Hogbin, and emergency services were dispatched to the Annan River Bridge. Wildlife officers located and euthanized a 16-foot crocodile approximately two miles from the attack site in a nearby creek on Monday. The reptile had distinctive scars on its snout, leading authorities to suspect it was the culprit. It is believed that human remains found inside the crocodile are those of Dr. Hogbin, though formal identification is pending.
Dr. Hogbin was a general practitioner at Jewells Medical Centre near Belmont, Newcastle, known for his dedication and passion for pediatrics, dermatology, and acute care. He was also an outdoor enthusiast, particularly fond of four-wheel driving and camping with his family. Mrs. Hogbin mentioned that despite doing everything right, the tragedy still occurred. She asserted that her husband had positively impacted many lives and wanted everyone to know about him and the tragic end of his life.
The loss of Dr. Hogbin has left his family and friends deeply distressed. During this difficult time, his friend Alex Ward started a GoFundMe campaign to assist his wife and their three sons, aged two, five, and seven. As of August 8, the campaign had raised over $124,000. Ward praised Hogbin for his dedication to his family and adventurous spirit while acknowledging the profound sense of loss and expressing gratitude for the overwhelming support.
This unfortunate incident is just one in a series of recent crocodile attacks in Australia’s tropical north. Just a few weeks prior, a 12-year-old girl was killed by a crocodile while swimming with her family in a creek in the Northern Territory. In April, a crocodile attack took the life of a 16-year-old boy who was swimming off a Queensland island. These events have brought the total number of crocodile-related fatalities in Australia this year to three, nearing the highest annual toll of four recorded in 2014.
The crocodile population in Australia’s tropical north has seen a significant increase since the species gained protection under Australian law in the 1970s. These reptiles, which can live up to 70 years, have thrived, leading to an increase in human encounters. Crocodile expert Brandon Sideleau from Charles Darwin University suggests that feeding crocodiles, often with roadkill such as kangaroo carcasses, has caused these predators to associate humans with food.
