A juvenile crocodile that stunned locals after being spotted in a suburban park has now been safely captured.
Emergency services were called to Federal Park in Wallsend about 4.30pm on Saturday (28 February 2026) following reports a crocodile had been seen in a waterway inside the popular public park.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District arrived to find a juvenile crocodile in the pond. Police quickly established a perimeter around the water to prevent the reptile from escaping and to keep curious onlookers at a safe distance.
Authorities say it remains unclear how the crocodile ended up in the park or how long it had been there.
Animal handling specialists from a reptile park were called in around 8.30pm Saturday, with assistance from the NSW State Emergency Service, but initial attempts to capture the reptile were unsuccessful.
Specialists returned on Sunday (1 March 2026) and successfully secured the crocodile without incident.
Police confirmed there were no injuries and no additional crocodiles have been found in the area.
Investigations into how the crocodile came to be in suburban Wallsend are continuing.
