A 19-year-old Canadian woman died on a Queensland beach, with dingoes present; cause of death pending.

On January 20, 2026, Piper James, a 19-year-old Canadian woman, was discovered dead on a beach in K'gari (Fraser Island), Queensland, Australia, surrounded by roughly ten dingoes. Early on Monday morning, she was last observed swimming close to the SS Maheno shipwreck. Authorities have not yet established whether she was attacked or drowned, but they have confirmed dingo contact with the body. Family and friends described James, who had previously worked for the BC Wildfire Service, as joyful, adventurous, and kind. He had been working at a backpackers hostel on the island for six weeks. A nearby camping area was closed until February 28 due to a habituated dingo pack, and Queensland Parks and Forests had issued warnings about increased dingo activity. Global Affairs Canada is supporting the family while a post-mortem is being conducted.