Traffic chaos in Manly Vale with panicked wallaby bounding through the streets

Chaos erupted on the streets of Manly Vale on Tuesday with a distressed wallaby bounding through traffic and ending up in a nearby construction site.

Workers on the construction site that helped in the rescue. Picture: Lynleigh Greig.

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Chaos erupted on the streets of Manly Vale on Tuesday with a distressed wallaby bounding through traffic and ending up in a nearby construction site.

Sydney Wildlife volunteer Lynleigh Greig said she received a call early on Tuesday that a wallaby was stuck in fencing near Manly golf course.

Ms Greig said by the time she got there the wallaby had managed to wriggle through the fence.

“It would have been a much easier rescue if she’d still been stuck,” she said.

Workers on the construction site that helped in the rescue. Picture: Lynleigh Greig.

“But she managed to get herself free and she was bouncing up Kenneth road.”

Ms Greig said the traffic was so heavy she couldn’t even cross the road.

“The whole time we were looking at her with our hearts in our mouth thinking it was only a matter of time before she jumps on the road and in front of a car.”

The whole ordeal lasted around four hours according to Ms Greig.

She was receiving reports that the wallaby had been spotted in different locations, but eventually it bounded into the Manly Boy Charlton swim centre construction site.

The wallaby being treated at Allambie Vet. Picture: Natalie MacDonald

“The boys were very quick thinking and they closed the gates to try and contain her to the one area” she said.

The wallaby – panicked and exhausted – managed to scurry under a skip bin. Ms Greig said the wallaby was given a tranquilliser and gently pulled out.

‘She was so hot and was panting and really terrified,” she said. “She’d been on the run for hours.”

The wallaby was rushed to Allambie Vet where she was treated by veterinarian Natalie MacDonald.

Ms Macdonald said the wallaby had suffered friction burns – possibly from the fence – and had overheated.

“We tried to cool her down and we gave her an IV, then we gave her some antibiotics and pain relief.”

Ms Greig said while they were treating her they realised she had a joey inside her pouch.

The wallaby is currently at the Sydney Wildlife rehab facility in Duffy’s Forest and is in a stable condition.