GOOSE CHASE: Kybong servo gaggle find their new home

THE Kybong fowl flock had to journey over the hills and far away from the Puma Energy roadhouse to find greener pastures.

Brian Burton with his new pets - the geese he saved from a dangerous Kybong habitat. Picture: Josh Preston

THE Kybong fowl flock had to go over the hills and far away from the Puma Energy roadhouse to find greener pastures, but the result was well worth the journey.

After living as icons of the Puma (formerly Matilda) service station off the Old Bruce Highway, the current population of 29 geese and 2 ducks made their new home more than 40km away at the Lake Barra Cottages in Anderleigh just over two weeks ago.

Ella Holland was one of many locals to express concern for the geese when they lived at the Puma service station in Kybong. Picture: Renee Albrecht

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Free to roam on owner Brian Burton's 240 acre farm, cabin and campground site, the birds can now enjoy a familiar lifestyle without the deadly threat of passing traffic.

"Someone I knew out there basically said they had to get rid of the geese and they didn't know where they were going to go,” Mr Burton said.

"I've got something very similar here ... where they are now is pretty well identical to where they were at Kybong.

"Every morning I go out there and feed them, I have a pet pig I feed every day too.

"It's good for the people who come and stay out here, and for the kids, to go down and feed them.

"They're not afraid at all, they're probably more friendly here than they were at Kybong.

"I couldn't get near them when they came here, but now I probably pat about half of them.”

Kybong geese find a new home. Picture: Josh Preston

The 29 geese and two ducks have a perfect new home at Mr Burton's Anderleigh cottages. Picture: Josh Preston

Mr Burton, a retired tree lopper and business owner from Brisbane, said he had known the practically domesticated geese as regular fixtures of the service station for "at least 20 years”.

He added they were "becoming a real problem” by straying too close to the highway and roadhouse carpark while looking for a feed, something Puma had "strict policies” against.

The geese at Puma Kybong. Picture: Brian George

"They (Puma) were stuck between a rock and a hard place, they didn't want to see anything bad happen to them either,” he said.

"They were like pets out there ... and one of them got run over.”

A Puma Energy spokesperson said the fowl had been rehomed "due to a number of customer concerns and other considerations”.

Puma could not confirm whether or not a goose had been killed at the site.

Mr Burton, now a resident of the Gympie region for "about five years”, said he had long-term plans to add more animals to his growing family.

"Once I dog proof the rest of the fence, we'll have other animals here too, the kids will be able to feed them while they just wander around.

"There'll be cattle up the back, I want to get some chooks too.

"It's a beautiful spot to live. I love it, I absolutely love it.”