Government, local authorities to take action after kangaroo attack

State Government officers and local authorities are investigating a monster kangaroo attack on a man in a tiny Central Queensland town.

Mr Underhill said he received a request to assist paramedics at the incident.

Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation officers are investigating a monster kangaroo attack on a man in a tiny town three-and-a-half hours west of Rockhampton.

A huge buck kangaroo described as about 2m in height and 100kg set upon the man, aged in his 50s, as he left his home at Willows in The Gemfields.

He was taken to Emerald Hospital with serious injuries and had to be airlifted to Rockhampton Hospital.

A department spokesperson said local authorities were also investigating said local authorities and officers were in contact to establish a response to the incident.

“Officers from the department have been in contact with local authorities to obtain further information regarding the incident and to establish an appropriate response to reduce the risk to the public,” the spokesperson said.

“This unfortunate incident is an important reminder that kangaroos are wild animals that can be aggressive or ultimately dangerous.

“We urge people to stay away from kangaroos they see in the wild.

“(We) send him well wishes for a speedy recovery.”

Willows Rural Fire Brigade First Officer-In-Charge Rick Underhill warned people of the dangers of wild kangaroos after he attended the scene of the horrific kangaroo attack in Central Queensland.

“He came out his front door to get into his vehicle and to drive up to the shops and pick up his mail, and there were two roos outside his door,” he said.

“One of them took off, but the big buck turned and attacked him – it was that quick and that simple.”

Eastern Grey Kangaroos may look cute, but Mr Underhill warned that feeding them could lead to serious issues for locals.

Mr Underhill said he received a request to assist paramedics at the incident about 45 minutes west of Emerald.

“I was pretty much last on scene because I was doing the organising, but I got a message from Fire Control in Rockhampton to assist Queensland Ambulance Service,” he said.

“By the time I got down there, they had him on a stretcher.

“He was pretty badly cut up and bleeding quite profusely with blood all over the ground where he was lying.”

The incident occurred on January 29 about midday on private property and the man suffered serious hip, arm and chest lacerations, according to Queensland Ambulance Service.

On January 30, a spokeswoman for the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service said he was in a stable condition.

Mr Underhill said the culprit was an Eastern Grey Kangaroo more than 2m tall and he estimated its weight to be close to 100kg.

“They’re big bastards, they’re powerful and very aggressive,” he said.

“The government needs to do something about the roos.

“I personally think they need to get rid of these two bucks.”

He also said that tourists feeding wildlife may be a contributing factor in attacks, echoing the department’s advice.

“Keep away from the bloody kangaroos and don’t feed the bastards,” he said.

“They think they’re doing wonderful things, they feed (the kangaroos) and say ‘aren’t they beautiful’, and then you get something like this that happens.”

Rural firefighters like Mr Underhill are often first on the scene of incidents such as these, especially in small localities where ambulances far away.

“The Rural Fire Service – people like us in these small communities – do more than just chase bushfires in the countryside,” he said.

“Because we don’t have police or ambulances out here, we’re the first call if someone’s in trouble.

“On occasion, the Queensland Ambulance Service actually call us first because their ambulances can be up to an hour away.

“Respect your rural firies – they do a lot of work that is unsung.”