A teenager attacked by a crocodile in far north Queensland, Australia was dared to jump into the croc-infested waters, paramedics say.

Innisfail man Lee de Paauw also reportedly punched the crocodile to get away, according to reports the paramedics heard.

Queensland Ambulance Service Cairns senior operations supervisor Neil Noble said the 18-year-old was "revelling" with friends about 2.30am

PAUL ROVERE A man is recovering in hospital after a crocodile attack at Innisfail.

"The circumstances that led up to this attack are quite sketchy but reports from the scene are that he was dared to jump into the water, which he did," he said.

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"Unfortunately that area's well known for its crocodile population and we're just really grateful that he survived this incident because it could have turned out to be quite fatal."

De Paauw was quickly pulled from the water and rushed to the Innisfail Hospital, before being taken into surgery in Cairns.

"Certainly to get him out the water was absolutely vital in case that crocodile was able to get a good grip on him and do the death roll and drown him, which I believe is often the case," Noble said.

"So we're very grateful that he was able to get out and certainly this could have turned out to be quite different indeed."

The paramedic said the man's arm, initially thought to have been amputated was "really badly damaged" and would need extensive surgery.