text: A Queensland man has opened up about a very special friendship between him and his best mate - a crocodile called 'Gregory'. Mick Tabone, 74, who previously owned and ran Johnstone River Crocodile Farm and zoo in far-north Queensland first came across the 5.2 metre croc in 1989. For 20 years the farmer would sit on the enormous creature's back while he chatted to him, and never once felt as though he was in danger. Rangers had already been trying to capture Gregory, who had apparently been killing cattle in Eubenangee Swamp near Mirriwinni, 70 kilometres south of Cairns for years, when they asked for Mr Tabone's help. Mick Tabone and Gregory the crocodile shared a strong bond during their 20 year long friendship . 'He was on the run for a couple of years, he had been a naughty boy and was taking cows,' Mr Tabone told Daily Mail Australia. 'The cattle used to come down there and have a drink and Gregory used to grab them by the nose and drown them,' he said. Mr Tabone then spent the next six months setting up traps for the huge creature, in a last bid to save him after a warrant had been issued to kill the croc. 'They had a trap for a couple of years but he just didn't go in, and after a certain amount of time, you know, there's a limit to the amount of time you can spend on this,' he said. 'They (National Parks) issued a warrant to the farmer to shoot him.' The farmer who owned the property where Gregory was snatching cattle called in the help of Mr Tabone and, helped by some 'freak weather', they were finally able catch the reptile. A heavy rainfall meant the trap which had been set up had moved and turtles had gone in after the bait, which Gregory then followed. Gregory was captured my Mr Tabone in 1989 after he was found stealing a local farmer's cattle . 'Three weeks later, water was down to about ankle-deep and I looked hard in the murky water and I said there's this great big massive animal in there,' Mr Tabone revealed. 'I said I've done the most horrible thing of my life, I've killed this big animal.' However upon closer inspection it appeared Gregory was alive and well, and had been keeping himself alive by coming up for air every few hours. 'Because of his size he was able to push the trap up to get a breath of air and then go back down for three to four hours,' the croc farmer said. After a huge operation which involved 16 men carrying Gregory onto the back of a truck and taking him back to Mr Tabone's farm, the creature was finally settled into what would be his home for the next two decades. The farmer describes the reptile that was his best friend as a 'funny animal', and said Gregory and him shared a special bond. He was named after Greg Cullen, the farmer whose cattle he was stealing. 'That gives me a memory of where I caught him from,' Mr Tabone said. The 5.2 metre croc and his farmer would spend time together every day, and Mr Tabone said he was never frightened or felt he was in danger . 'Greg would brings friends over to have a look at the crocodile named after him.' The crocodile would come when Mr Tabone called him, rushing up out of the water to greet his mate. The farmer would then spend time perched on Gregory's back, chatting to him about what was happening on the farm. 'Every day I was there I always spent time with him, I always sat on him,' Mr Tabone said. These meetings would take place between ten and 20 times a day, often in front of the tourists who came to visit the farm but sometimes just between the two of them. 'Sometimes depending if I had time I would go and sit on him and just hang out and chat to him'. When asked whether what he was doing was dangerous, Mr Tabone disagreed saying he never felt unsafe with Gregory. 'No, if I felt danger I wouldn't be in there. 'I love animals but I love living too,' he joked. Since Mr Tabone had to give up the farm in 2008 after repeated knee problems left him with less mobility than he was used to, the farmer has been back to visit Gregory only once. Mr Tabone previously owned and ran Johnstone River Crocodile Farm and zoo in far-north Queensland . 'I went down after 18 months and went down to Gregory's cage and he was in the water,' he revealed. 'I called him over to the gate and he came over to me and the look on his face was just like "Mick why did you leave me here?"' 'They wouldn't let me go inside and I can see their point because it's not mine any more, I understand,' Mr Tabone said. 'He was a really lovely animal, the only reason I sold out was that I got an infection on my knee.' But Mr Tabone doesn't think he can go back to see Gregory again, who he believes has been moved to another farm. 'I can't go there again,' he said. Mr Tabone instead prefers to remember Gregory as he knew him, happily sitting with his farmer and best friend sitting on his back, having a chat.
target: Mick Tabone and Gregory the crocodile shared a 20 year long friendship .
  Mr Tabone captured the croc in 1989 after he caught it stealing cattle .
  Gregory lived at Johnstone River Crocodile Farm in far-north Queensland .
  Each day Mr Tabone would sit on the croc's back while chatting to him .