General News
9 March, 2023
Wallaby sighting prompts wildlife rescue reminder
Hopping around town, a wallaby was spotted in Maryborough this week — and hot on its tail, a local wildlife rescuer reminded residents to contact authorities if they see any injured animals in the area. On Tuesday morning, Central Goldfields...
Hopping around town, a wallaby was spotted in Maryborough this week — and hot on its tail, a local wildlife rescuer reminded residents to contact authorities if they see any injured animals in the area.
On Tuesday morning, Central Goldfields Wildlife Rescue volunteer Rob Armstrong responded to reports of a lost swamp wallaby in town.
Mr Armstrong said that wallabies are regular visitors and unless injured, people shouldn’t worry — they should instead appreciate the rich wildlife in Maryborough.
“Someone reported that there was an injured animal in town and we responded within minutes but truth be known, we have a resident population of swamp wallabies living here in town,” he said.
“There are swamp wallabies moving through this area all the time. People who are lucky enough and those that don’t have dogs may notice them in town.
“We are just so lucky to have Australian native wildlife here in the centre of town.”
However, if locals spot a hurt animal, Mr Armstrong said, they should immediately get in touch with relevant rescue organisations.
“The best contact point is Wildlife Victoria, they operate a 24 hour rescue service, everyday. People can also ring the local vets, and the Central Goldfields Wildlife Rescue, we’ll always be there to help,” he said.
According to Wildlife Victoria, wild animals such as wallabies and kangaroos can be dangerous if they’re stressed or hurt and should only be handled by an experienced rescuer — if possible, people should avoid approaching the animal and can keep an eye on it from a short distance as they wait for help to arrive.
Mr Armstrong said that when healthy and uninjured, these swamp wallabies add to the greatness of Maryborough.
“The community needs to enjoy the wildlife. The wallabies are absolutely wonderful and people may not realise it but these animals are probably travelling through your backyard without you noticing,” he said.
“People travel to Australia from all over the world to see wildlife and we have it here in Maryborough, in town.”
To report a wildlife emergency contact Wildlife Victoria on 8400 7300 or report the details on www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/wildlife-information/report-a-wildlife-emergency
The Central Goldfields Wildlife Rescue can be contacted at 0499 654 950.