Don't Let The Kangaroo Drown, Sport

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday January 2, 2008

By MARTIN DINNEEN

AN afternoon of fishing on New Year's Eve became a wildlife rescue for three Lake Macquarie residents.

Tracey Smith, her fiance Todd Smith and friend Nathan Neader were fishing for bream off a private jetty at Nords Wharf when they spied a kangaroo swimming 70 metres offshore.

"There were a number of seagulls flying around it and nipping at it, which brought it to our attention," Ms Smith said yesterday.

"Then we realised it was a kangaroo and it was in trouble, because it was so far out."

Mr Smith and Mr Neader used a dinghy to head out and try to guide the kangaroo back to shore but the marsupial was so exhausted they pulled it into the boat without a struggle.

"They took it around the point and released it into the national park near Cams Wharf," Ms Smith said.

The animal bounded away after a brief rest on the bank of the lake.

Ms Smith said it was the first time she had seen a kangaroo in the lake and could only speculate on why it was so far from shore.

"I would say that maybe a dog or a fox had chased it into the water," she said.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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