Crocodile Attacked “El Grando Reverso” is a true story from my own past. Although this can be described as a crocodile attack this was a crocodile attack in only the “very loose” sense.
We are talking about one man and one saltwater crocodile. The following photo gives us an idea of one of the opponents – a five metre long crocodile.
But the attacker?
If you have not yet understood than let me be clear. Although the crocodile did attack the man, Kelvin, it only did so after he shot it with a rifle and approached it with a rope. Maybe it was aware that the rifleman was totally intent on lassoing it. Perhaps the monster was terrified that the boy on the horse was going to set about dragging it, yep, dragging that bloody great crocodile, hauling it bodily from the lagoon.
So technically, it was the crocodile that was attacked. Then it was the man who was attacked, and then of course he retaliated.
Finally, the crocodile was declared the loser.
For information on attacks by crocodiles in Australia look up this page:
Crocodile attacked El Grando Reverso – Leighton Clark relevant background.
I was living in Darwin N.T. Australia. In the dry season of 1966 I went to the Star Picture Theatre to see a movie. The old open-air theatre was a joy to me, and I have a few memories of movie watching etc. Nothing further right now on the etcetera bit. Here we see the Star pretty much the way I remember it.
Link to article on Star Theatre
But this particular night I bumped into a young man I knew: Kelvin Bugg. Kelvin had recently become a ringer at Stapleton Ranch, which was owned by Americans named Townsend, and he was in town.
I remember on that night that Kelvin told me the story of how he shot and killed this huge crocodile. For whatever reason I always remembered this story and, strangely, I even what Kelvin was wearing that night!
Well then, last week, one of my great mates and a friend from way back in Darwin, Ted Whiteaker, sent me the newspaper cutting. I had never seen the article from the N.T News but it matched my memory of the story telling on the night in 1966.
Crocodile Attacked – Background on Stapleton and the Townsends.
“FIFTY years ago, Asa and Maria Townsend led their family on a migration from Florida to Stapleton station, in the Northern Territory’s Top End.“
SOURCE: NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER.
Link to Cowboy Heaven article.
Crocodile Attacked and Kelvin Bugg.
When I met up with Kelvin back in 1966, the Townsends had not long been in the Territory.
“In 1961, his sons Ray and Bob came to Australia and found Stapleton, the place they thought was ‘Cowboy Heaven’. They bought the station and then the migration from Florida began. Before long, more than 30 of the immediate and extended family had moved to the Territory.”
I think it is true that things were pretty tough in the northern cattle industry in 1962.
“The country in the far north, on stations like Stapleton, was regarded as rubbish. Productivity was low, it was extremely difficult to manage and it wasn’t worth even thinking about fencing or introducing new blood into herds.”
Paul Vandeleur said “There was no real market anywhere. “
But to the Townsends it was Cowboy Heaven, all right.
Ray and Bob bought the station for the Townsend family and in October 1961 they took delivery.
FOOTNOTE: End of the Townsend era – 2015.
Stapleton Station in the Northern Territory has sold for around $3 million.
Owned by Henry and Maria Townsend, the property was formerly part of East Mathison Station before it was subdivided into smaller blocks.
Located 80 kilometres from Katherine, the station is around 60,000 hectares in size and has been bought by Queensland cattle producer Dan Lynch who runs Tara Station near Cloncurry.
SOURCE: ABC News
Stapleton Station in the Northern Territory sold to Queensland cattleman –
Link to the sale of Stapleton article
Crocodile Attacked and the Attacker.
I don’t remember the details but somehow, after Darwin High School, Kelvin got himself a job at Stapleton. He was, I believe, what is called a ringer (stock worker).
Crocodile Attacked El Grando Reverso – the day in question.
Kelvin and his mate, Asa, shot and killed the big crocodile said to be over 100 years old.
Newspapers, including The Canberra Times, carried the story.
“Crocodile killed DARWIN, Monday. — A sixteen foot crocodile, believed to be more than 100 years old, has been killed by two youths. The skin is worth about 120 pounds. The young hunters are Kelvin Bugg, 17, of Darwin and Asa Townsend, an American whose family own Stapleton Station near Adelaide River.“
The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995) Tue 24 May 1966
The N.T. Times went one better with a much longer and informative article.
The croc was a biggie. Take a look at the photo of the skin.
SOURCE: KELVIN BUGG.
A few words on the crocodile adventure from the victor’s point of view as it is today in 2021.
“And you know the story he nearly got me 1 shot in the mouth from 2mtrs away fixed him up lucky to be able to tell the story 5mtr croc, eat your heart out Matt.”
QUOTE: Kelvin Bugg 2021.
Author’s comment.
I published this newspaper cutting on Facebook as soon as Ted gave it to me. Several hundred people saw it and reacted within a few days.
I published this article on my own website a few days later.
Personally, I think this story provides great insight into the life we lived in Darwin and the N.T. back in the sixties. We all saw crocodiles. There may have been less of them due to the intensity of the hunting period, but they were still there.
We met and knew crocodile hunters. Some of them were young fellers whom we knew.
Crocodiles were considered evil, dangerous, and fair game. It is my view that we should be wary of judging people on acts committed over 50 years ago. Times were different.
This is but one story.
All the best, Leighton Clark
(A fabulous trip with a good friend, the late Harold Harmer RIP)