[Video by Brooke Stead]
October 2, 2018
by Bronwyn Marquardt
Aussies overseas are often asked if kangaroos really hop down our streets … but in Kingaroy you can forget about the ‘roos.
On Monday, it was a koala which was taking a leisurely stroll to the shops.
Kingaroy hairdresser Brooke Stead was standing outside Kingaroy Shoppingworld about 2:30pm when a koala entered the car park from Youngman Street and walked right past her.
“I was stunned,” she said. “Luckily the shopping centre was shut because it was a public holiday, or the car park would have been full of vehicles.”
Clearly unimpressed that nothing was open due to the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, the cuddly marsupial continued its walkabout.
Wanting to ensure the animal stayed safe, Brooke followed from a safe distance as it wandered along Alford Street.
Finding all the shops closed, the unlikely shopper made a beeline for a small group of shops opposite the main centre, cutting through the car park again and on to Glendon Street.
“As it crossed the road, a car almost ran straight over it,” Brooke said. ‘I couldn’t believe it. They didn’t even slow down.”
The shaken koala hastily climbed a date palm – not a eucalyptus tree – overlooking a local a florist.
Brooke called in Wildlife Rescue South Burnett to rescue the koala and a local snake catcher was also roped in.
But despite calling for a higher ladder, all efforts to reach the koala were unsuccessful.
At 4:30am on Tuesday, reports came in the koala was at McDonald’s but the wily marsupial again managed to get away again and is still at large.
It’s believed the RSPCA is sending back-up from Brisbane to relocate it.
Brooke posted photos and a video of her encounter on Facebook, where the footage has gone viral.
Comments included:
‘Why did the koala cross the road? Because he didn’t bring his wallet.’
‘Bugger… Public holiday, nothing is open.’
‘Typical long weekend in Oz. Where all the Aussies are out and about.’
Brooke says she posted the footage in a mixture of surprise and concern.
“I’d much rather see a happy post than some of the negative things we see online lately, and you don’t see a koala at the shops every day,” she said.
“But I also want to make sure it’s safe. It’s nice to see that people care about it.”
UPDATE: Good news! The koala has been located and is now safely with the RSPCA
