Queensland teen 'horrified' when log on road turns out to be live crocodile

A Queensland teen said he was "horrified but excited" when what he thought was a log blocking the road turned out to be a crocodile that started moving as he approached it.

Dayne Barker was in the car with his dad Clinton, on their way to buy some dog food, when they saw something blocking the road in Mackay last week.

Clinton got Dayne to get out and move "the log" but that is when it started to move.

READ MORE: Australia records deadliest day of pandemic

"I didn't know what to think at first," Dayne told Today.

"We were driving to our IGA and then we thought it was a log on the ground and then I was going out to go and get it and move it to the side of the road, but then it moved itself, basically, it just scared me."

Clinton said they were both in shock as the road they were on is close to local shops and the school.

"The locals are very concerned, we're on croc-watch at the moment," he said.

READ MORE: Karl and family get COVID-19 over Christmas break

As concerning as it is that crocodiles are getting closer to populated areas with all the wild weather Queensland has been having, Dayne still thinks it was a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to get that close to one.

His phone has been blowing up with messages from friends and family ever since.

"They're all texting me saying, 'you're famous, you're famous' and everything - yeah, I'm going good," Dayne said.

Clinton joked he thinks Dayne might "milk the new found fame" for a little while yet.

Watch the full segment with Dayne and Clinton above

Join the Today show family and give yourself the chance to win great prizes by signing up to our weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday with a special message from Karl and Ally. You can sign up for free here.