They are fearsome creatures, but at Koorana Crocodile Farm the tour guides talk to these ancient predators like they are old friends.

Don’t even think of putting your toes in the water where crocodiles are known to lurk. The water’s edge is one of the most dangerous places to relax when you are in crocodile country is the message that came through loud and clear as I toured the farm.

Koorana Crocodile Farm is located in Coowonga, between the city of Rockhampton and the coastal centre of Yeppoon, not far from Great Keppel Island on the Queensland Capricorn Coast.

Established as the first commercial crocodile farm in Queensland in 1981 by John and Lillian Lever, the farm has grown into a family business. Son Adam Lever conducts the daily tours and there is a restaurant offering crocodile steaks, pies and more for lunch.

It’s no surprise that the dry dirt track that meandered through some pretty desolate country to the farm gate was called Savages Road.  What was surprising was the affection between tour guide Adam and the crocodiles.

Adam talks about the crocs as if they are old friends.  They all have nicknames, and there was one he had trained to feed from his hand.  To my eye, it looked as though he was going to be eaten alive, but Adam was very relaxed.

Crocodile farm, not sanctuary!

This is a crocodile farm, not a sanctuary, and provides a live problem capture service for Queensland.  The farm has grown from four crocodiles in the early 1980s to around 3000 today.

Adam tells stories about where they have found crocodiles that are a little hair-raising. If you thought crocodiles were only found in salt water, think again.

The tour involves walking around the various lakes and pens to view the crocodiles.  At first, it seems as though there’s not a croc anywhere, but movement at the water’s edge and a few chicken pieces thrown in the right direction and they are snapping around making me very glad the fences are quite high.

Try a crocodile kebab

Visitors can take personal revenge or just expand their taste buds by eating crocodile as well. The menu includes crocodile steak, kebabs, sate, pie and burger.  There’s even crocodile laksa!  I tried the crocodile pie which had a creamy leek sauce around the croc meat. It was an experience, but the crocs are safe from my stomach.  I much prefer a slice of real apple pie at Stanthorpe.

The restaurant is licensed so you can have a drink before or after the tour to steady your nerves if necessary.

Try a crocodile kebab

Visitors can take personal revenge or just expand their taste buds by eating crocodile as well. The menu includes crocodile steak, kebabs, sate, pie and burger.  There’s even crocodile laksa!  I tried the crocodile pie which had a creamy leek sauce around the croc meat. It was an experience, but the crocs are safe from my stomach.

The restaurant is licensed so you can have a drink before or after the tour to steady your nerves if necessary.

Take a crocodile farm tour

Tours are conducted at Koorana Crocodile Farm twice a day (10.30 am and 1 pm) and it’s well worth arriving in time to do one.

From September to November you may see crocodiles mating. Between November to January they are busy nest building and laying eggs while the baby crocs hatch from March to April.

At the end of the tour, there’s the chance to hold a baby crocodile.  Its jaws are taped so there’s no biting problem, but you have to keep it at stomach level as it can head but you if higher.

Best tip: Where better to try crocodile meat than at a crocodile farm?

When you are visiting North Queensland, you can see crocodiles and an amazing array of other Australian animals at Hartley’s Crocodile Farm.

Disclaimer:  Ed+bK travelled courtesy of Tourism Queensland.