Does this historic photograph show the monster 9.7m (32foot) crocodile reportedly shot from the Leichhardt Hotel in River St, Mackay on an unknown date? The jury's still out. Aaron Weston/Facebook
Offbeat
The mystery of this monster crocodile
by LukeMortimer
27th Jan 2017 4:30 AM
IT'S either an enduring local myth or maybe the biggest crocodile ever shot in Queensland, or Australia.
The jury is still out on whether this photo shows the monster 9.7m (32 foot) crocodile rumoured to have been shot from the balcony of the former Riverview Hotel (later Leichhardt Hotel) in River St in the late 1880s.
The Townsville Daily Bulletin reported on May 16, 1951 that Mackay had the claim for the largest crocodile shot in Australia.
It was apparently substantiated by the Australian Encyclopedia, when then-curator of the Brisbane Museum, J.D Ogilvy, confirmed a 32 foot reptile was shot near the river.
However, no concrete proof of the event has emerged.
