By JESSE GRAHAM
A CHUM Creek resident is warning others to keep a respectful distance from kangaroos, after her neighbour broke her kneecap when she was trampled by a mob on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, 27 April, at about 5.30pm, Ros Gilbert and her neighbour, Noelle Kirk-Williams, were talking in the front of Ms Kirk-Williams’ garden, when a mob of kangaroos came through the property, along the narrow side of the house.
Ms Gilbert said she pushed Ms Kirk-Williams towards the house, but the kangaroos then jumped on her, resulting in multiple bruises and a broken kneecap.
When visiting the property on Friday, 29 April, Ms Gilbert said her neighbour was in hospital, waiting for surgery on her kneecap over the weekend.
She told the Mail that kangaroos often travelled through their properties, which have open gates to neighbouring land, but this was the first time their visit had resulted in an injury.
“The kangaroos come down from Hodges Road,” she said.
“She gets quite a few on her (Ms Kirk-Williams’) land – we get a few coming through, but it was just unbelievable.
“They came right over the top of her, jumped on her, and then they just disappeared.”
The gates between the properties remained open when visiting and Ms Gilbert said the kangaroos were such frequent visitors that she had named one of the larger ones Arnie, after Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Ms Gilbert said there were as many as 20 kangaroos, and that she thinks the pair may have spooked them.
She said she wasn’t speaking to the media to demonise the animals, but rather to raise awareness of keeping a safe distance from the animals, in case they become startled or threatened.
“They just got startled,” she said.
“It’s just they got scared – they’re animals.
“I’m so lucky nothing happened to me.”
