‘He shook me like a rag doll’: Cattleman survives croc attack by biting back

Northern Territory cattle producer Colin Deveraux knows he is lucky to be alive after being attacked by a 3.2-metre saltwater crocodile.

The veteran cattleman from Twin Hill Station is set to walk out of hospital this week after spending nearly a month in Royal Darwin Hospital receiving treatment.

The attack happened while on his way to do some fencing near the Finniss River last month.

He stopped at a billabong after noticing fish swimming in the middle of the retreating waterway.

“The water had receded and it was down to this dirty water in the middle. I took two steps and the dirty bastard [the crocodile] latched onto my right foot,” he said.

“It was a big grab and he shook me like a rag doll and took off back into the water, pulling me in.”

Biting croc’s eyelid leads to escape

Mr Deveraux, who is aged in his mid-60s, said he tried kicking the crocodile in the ribs with his left foot and then tried biting the animal back.

“I was in such an awkward position … but by accident my teeth caught his eyelid. It was pretty thick, like holding onto leather, but I jerked back on his eyelid and he let go.

“I leapt away and took off with great steps up to where my car was.

“He chased me for a bit, maybe four metres, but then stopped.”

Mr Deveraux said he got a towel and some rope to strap up his leg and stop the bleeding.

His brother then drove him 130 kilometres to hospital where Mr Deveraux has been receiving treatment for his wound ever since.

“Biggest problem was having to clear out all the bad bacteria [from the wound] … so all of the billabong water full of mud, goose s**t, duck s**t, and crocodile teeth marks,” he said.

“It [my foot and leg] was opened up bad and over 10 days in a row, I think, they had to flush it.”

He received a skin graft earlier this month and said he could feel his toes, and doctors were hopeful he could walk out of hospital this week.

“It all happened in about eight seconds I reckon,” he said.

“If he [the crocodile] had bitten me somewhere else it would have been different.

“It means I’ve got to change what I do. I’ve been walking around that swamp country too long fixing fences and living life, but it’s opened my eyes.”

He said the crocodile which attacked him would not be harming anyone else and had been “removed”.