Longreach has become the latest Outback Queensland town to face an ‘emu-regency’ as large groups of thirsty feathered giants have invaded.
After a seven-year dry spell, a 45-degree heatwave has been enough to send the birds in search of water. Last October, a similar thing happened in Quilpie.
“We’ve got big mobs of thirsty emu, brolga, jabiru and kangaroo coming into town, looking for a feed and a drink,” Longreach local, Betty Forster, told the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin. “Poor buggers, there’s nothing left out bush for them.’’
The paper reports that residents have to shut their gates, and some leave bowls of water on the footpath, to keep the big birds and roos out of gardens.
And police are advising motorists to give way to roos and emus on the roads.
“They just waltz about, like they own the place,’’ said cafe worker Cassy Delahunty. “But we love them. It’s a novelty to see them in town.’’
While huge parts of west and northwest Queensland remain drought-declared, but widespread rain is predicted over the next four days.
• Have you had a close encounter with an emu? How did you feel? Comment below
Yes Our caravan clipped one 4 yrs ago just out of Longreach We saw him roll but thought he was ok when he ran away Next stop we found a beautiful long feather jammed in the front corner of our caravan !
We almost clipped an emu near Quilpie. 30 seconds later, we just missed a kangaroo! I turned to my husband and said “we nearly took out the Coat of Arms!”