A dingo has been put down after lunging at an 11-year-old girl and behaving aggressively towards several other tourists on Fraser Island off southeast Queensland.

The girl was swimming in the Island’s popular Eli Creek when the dingo lunged at her on New Year’s Day.

Authorities say her mother managed to scare off the dingo, which was linked to a string of other near-attacks in the Eli Creek area.

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As a result the male dingo was put down on Thursday.

The dingo behaved aggressively towards to two teenage girls on December 27, and only left after a passer-by chased it with a stick, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) says.

On New Year’s Day, the dingo also threatened a woman who was rescued by a passer-by and a ranger.

Shortly afterwards, the same dingo stalked a group of people before lunging at the 11-year-old girl.

“The dingo presented an unacceptable risk and the decision was taken to capture and humanely destroy the animal,” a QPWS spokeswoman says.

“Rangers have increased patrols and monitoring in the area and advise visitors to take extra care.”

People are being advised to be vigilant and to report any dangerous dingoes.