A 10-foot saltwater crocodile was spotted over the weekend at a golf course in Rockhampton, Queensland, less than a mile from the stretch of the Fitzroy River chosen to host rowing and canoe sprint events at the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The North Rockhampton Golf Club notified members after the male crocodile was seen loitering near the 11th hole, according to ABC News. Authorities are investigating the sighting.
The Fitzroy River has long been known to contain other hazards, including box jellyfish near its mouth and tidal saltwater sections, as well as bull sharks and venomous snakes along its banks and in its waters.
Rowing Australia life member Ray Ebert said the sighting should serve as a wake-up call for officials planning the Olympic rowing events on the river.
“It’s a bit of a shock to me,” Ebert told ABC News Breakfast on Monday. “I’ve been saying that the crocodiles are the least of our problems. I’m going to admit to something that none of the politicians have admitted to: maybe I was wrong.”
The sighting comes two months after the Rockhampton venue passed an independent technical assessment “with flying colours” to host the rowing and canoe sprint events, a finding now being questioned in light of the crocodile’s appearance.
The venue selection followed months of debate over whether the Fitzroy River, long recognized as crocodile habitat, was suitable for Olympic competition.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese previously described the Fitzroy as “a great river” for a walk, but said he wasn’t sure it was an entirely “sensible” choice for the Games. He suggested the presence of crocodiles might even work in athletes’ favor.
“I’ve got to say, people might break world records,” Albanese said. “They’d want to go pretty quickly wouldn’t they?”
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