Queensland man finds croc in backyard pool filter

Noel King was just trying to be a good neighbour, but his generosity nearly came back to bite him – literally.

The Tully Heads resident was checking the pool filter for his neighbour Geoff Ryder this morning when he found a one-metre saltwater crocodile curled up inside.

"I thought it was a stick first, I looked and I seen [sic] there's two different colours and I said 'ah yeah, that's no stick'," he said.

After an unsuccessful attempt to catch the croc, he called his neighbour who called authorities.

"The owner rang the wildlife mob and they said 'don't touch him' because they're real quick."

The crocodile has since been removed by wildlife officers from the Department of Environment and Science.

It's uncommon but not unheard of to find crocodiles in backyard swimming pools in Queensland's north.

Pools and man-made lagoons are actually considered the safest places to cool off in 'croc country' north of the Boyne River, where crocodiles inhabit rivers, swamps, creeks and beaches.