pioneerriver

I am not sure if the following story is related to the photo, yet it seems interesting: A tale about a monster crocodile, that would be the biggest in history is true, claims a pensioner whose late father told him stories of seeing the beast. Doubt has long surrounded claims a 9.7-metre croc - a world record - was shot dead as it lay on the banks of a river at Mackay, in north Queensland, in the 1880s. But Greg Ellul claims his late father Joe told him stories of paying sixpence to go with his grandfather to see the dead croc's skin hanging in a pub in the 1920s or 1930s. According to reports, the reptile was shot with a high-powered rifle from the balcony of the Leichardt Hotel, which overlooked the Pioneer River. Mr Ellul, who is now 70, says his father would often recall going to view the massive skin stretched across the pub. 'Grandad took Pop to see it one day and it cost them a sixpence,' Mr Elull told Daily Mail Australia. 'He said it was 33ft and when they went into the pub the skin was right across a wall and the tail stretched onto another wall. 'His father took him to go and see it and he used to tell me it was shot in the Pioneer River on a sandbar at low tide from the Leichardt Hotel.' A black and white photo of a massive beast lying dead on the banks of the river with rope around its mouth resurfaced earlier this year. Source: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5173771/Monster-crocodil...

Flat Top Island, is a small island off the entrance to Mackay harbor at the mouth of Pioneer River, about 6.5 kilometers (4.0 mi) east of Mackay, Queensland, Australia. It used to mark the river entrance for shipping and the direction of the port, as well as highlighting close-by shoals at Shoalwater Point and a reef off Hay Point. Flat Top Island Light is an inactive lighthouse located on Flat Top Island. At 6 meters (20 ft) from the ground to the lantern floor, it is the shortest of Queensland's timber-framed iron-clad lighthouses. In January 1918 the lighthouse was the only structure on the island and the only aid to navigation to survive the 1918 Mackay cyclone.[12] The lighthouse was automated around 1920. In 1991, the light source was still an open flame acetylene gas burner.[13] The light was discontinued in March 2007[14] and it is currently conserved on site.[15] The last light characteristic displayed was four flashes every twenty seconds, red and white depending on the direction. The lighthouse is currently inactive. Before that, it was operated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The island is accessible only by boat. It is unclear whether public access to the site and tower are available. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Top_Island_Light

Surely there must be someone in Mackay, a group or organization who would be interested in taking custodianship for this unique piece of history... Insitu restoration or relocation to Mackay as a tourist attraction!