Coastal caravan park being ‘overrun’ by mob of kangaroos

Published: August 20, 2022

A small town on the Queensland coast is being ‘overrun’ by a growing mob of troublesome kangaroos … but the invasion is apparently not deterring grey nomads.

The ABC reports that Maaroom, on the Fraser Coast is effectively under siege with green lawns acting like a magnet to the roos.

Caravan Park manager Karen Sutcliffe told the ABC she had to warn visitors to be cautious around the kangaroos.

“There are too many to count, really. They’re constantly hopping around the park in between caravans,” she said. “People are walking around with a big stick now … I’ve been wanting to go fishing of an afternoon but I won’t do that, just in case a kangaroo gets me … they’re just so quick you don’t know where they are.”

kangaroos eating

In the past 12 months, the Department of Environment and Science (DES) has reportedly received seven reports of attacks with the most recent leaving a 67-year-old woman with a broken leg.

DES manager for southern wildlife operations Frank Mills told the ABC the situation at Maaroom was unusual.

“While there actually are quite a few attacks with kangaroos in Queensland, mostly they’re dealing with male kangaroos and it’s usually a territorial or a mating display,” Mr Mills said. “All of these issues have been with female kangaroos with a joey at foot … we’ve counted more than 60 to 80 kangaroos on any given day within the town itself and the local forests that surround that wouldn’t support that many kangaroos.”

Mr Mills said that, as well as receiving reports of residents feeding the kangaroos, the department has also been told that there are other people in the town who are potentially using things like gel blasters to discourage kangaroos.

“That can have a negative effect on how those animals feel about humans and it may make them more aggressive,” Mr Mills told the ABC.

The Department of Environment and Science says there are no plans to cull the kangaroos.

  • Have you ever felt intimidated by a kangaroo? Comment below.

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