Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n The dramatic mission began when local police called Collett on Saturday afternoon about a crocodile seen in a creek behind a Bunnings store in Wallsend<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI was a bit suspicious, you know, like, because we get a lot of phone calls like that. And then he sent me a photo, and I thought, \u2018oh, far out, that\u2019s an actual croc\u2019,\u201d Collett said.<\/p>\n What was initially expected to be a simple retrieval in a narrow stretch of creek quickly escalated into an extensive search across a sprawling creek system and wetlands.<\/p>\n On the first night, Collett managed to spot the crocodile under a bridge behind the store, but attempts to approach it using an SES rescue raft failed.<\/p>\n The team chased the reptile until 1am before calling it off.<\/p>\n The following day brought no sightings and growing frustration.<\/p>\n Then, after nightfall, about three kilometres downstream from where it was first seen, the breakthrough came.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a huge tree across the creek, couldn\u2019t get past. And so I thought, no, he\u2019s gone. Turn the boat around, and he\u2019s right there,\u201d Collett recalled.<\/p>\n Acting on pure instinct, Collett dived into action.<\/p>\n \u201cI just sent it, launched off the front into the darkness, grabbed him …. and he was swinging around under the water, almost hit my arm, but I managed to grab him. I came up, and I felt like I won the lotto,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The crocodile was much smaller than first thought, measuring under a metre, but no less agile in the water, with Collett joking the croc was likely heading out for a \u201cBunnings snag\u201d.<\/p>\n Collett believes the animal was most likely a released or escaped illegal pet, given it was found more than 1000km from its natural habitat in Queensland.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019s been in captivity for that long. He literally looks like he\u2019s come straight out of the bush. He\u2019s got that really wild-type look to him,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Despite rumours circulating locally about multiple crocodiles in the area, Collett said he was confident there was only one.<\/p>\n The crocodile is now in a quarantine enclosure at the Australian Reptile Park and has undergone a veterinary check, with the vet confirming it was in good health.<\/p>\n \u201cWe literally saved his life, you know, his welfare. If we didn\u2019t get him, he would have died over winter,\u201d Collett said.<\/p>\n The Queensland government lists \u201cCroc Country\u201d, where the largest population of the reptiles are found outside of the Northern Territory, as stretching across coastal regions of the state\u2019s north and ending in Gladstone.<\/p>\n \u201cCrocodiles can sometimes also be found outside of this area, but sightings are rare,\u201d the state government said.<\/p>\n Recent rain in Newcastle, on NSW\u2019s Hunter Coast, could have played a part in the reptile being found in the peculiar spot.<\/p>\n \u201cCrocodiles are highly mobile at any time, especially after heavy rain and floods,\u201d the Queensland government warned.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can travel hundreds of kilometres in water and can be found in all waterways and oceans within crocodile habitat.\u201d<\/p>\n Authorities will now determine the crocodile\u2019s long-term placement.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Shock as crocodile found swimming in pond behind NSW Bunnings<\/p>\n 1 min read<\/p>\n![\"Reptile](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/f194bc1ee605555d1ee811ecc180f844d9f50258.png\")
Reptile wrangler Billy Collett dives into a Newcastle creek in a dramatic midnight capture of a baby freshwater crocodile. Credit: Sunrise<\/p>\n