Coughing Kangaroos:

Victims of Australia’s Catastrophic Bushfire Crisis

My farmhouse is on a mountain with a cliff to one side. I’m lucky to have Rock Wallabies and Wallaroos visit home each day to access the only groundwater around for miles.

There used to be a creek and dams where a host of wildlife could drink. After 40 months of devastating drought, there is nothing close by but the water I put out in dishes for them.

My favourites are the Red-necked Wallabies who live on our escarpment. Four months ago I saw a juvenile mother with a joey’s face sticking out of the pouch. Just a head as big as a lemon, with 2 giant ears. I called him Peepo as it hid from me, then peeped out to see if I was still there every 20 seconds.

I saw it emerge for short hopping trips. The adventures became longer. When the mother red-neck’s pouch was dragging on the ground she shooed it out. I was there and saw Peepo try to claw his way back in.