Reedy Creek man Connor Berkrey, 18, to face Southport Magistrates Court over alleged kangaroo, wallaby slaying at Worongary

A Gold Coast teenager charged with serious animal cruelty after allegedly killing innocent wallabies and kangaroos has flaunted his love for his four-wheel drive. GRAPHIC CONTENT

A Reedy Creek teenager charged with serious animal cruelty after allegedly mowing down and killing at least 10 wallabies and kangaroos is a four-wheel-drive enthusiast obsessed with his Nissan “rig” and camping.

Connor Berkrey, 18, will face Southport Magistrates Court on October 12 after allegedly running down the animals in Worongary earlier this month.

The teenager’s social media channels are plastered with images and videos of his “rig”, a kitted-out Nissan Patrol designed for off road driving.

Connor Berkrey, 18, charged with serious animal cruelty. Picture: Instagram

In one video, the teenager is shown driving on the beach during a camping trip to Double Island Point, south of Fraser Island.

An old social media profile used by Berkrey shows a bio reading: “If one day speed kills me don’t cry because I was smiling.”

A picture of the aftermath at Worongary. A dead baby joey lays next to its mother. 11 September 2022. Picture: Richard Gosling

In another post, he stands by a campfire, with the hashtags #livinmybestlife and #mensmentalhealth.

It is understood Berkrey is a previous employee of McDonalds, according to his Facebook profile.

Berkrey faces one count each of serious animal cruelty for the alleged attack on the wallabies and kangaroos. Picture: Instagram

In another post showing a line-up of four-wheel drives on a beach, he wrote: “So happy with how the rig is coming out and love spending it with a few other legends and their rigs”.

He referred to his Nissan Patrol as a “money pit”, which has been fitted with a bullbar – the same vehicle police allege mowed down and killed the kangaroos and wallabies.

Devastated locals at the scene described the carnage of up to 10 dead wallabies and kangaroos as “barbaric”.

Locals described the killings as “barbaric”. 11 September 2022 Worongary Picture: Richard Gosling

Queensland Police Service Superintendent Geoff Sheldon said the act of running down the animals was “disgraceful conduct killing innocent animals”.

Police tracked and arrested Berkrey after the RSPCA handballed the extensive investigation to police due to the serious nature of the alleged offences.

Photos from Berkrey’s Instagram show his enthusiasm for kitted-out four-wheel drives. Picture: Instagram

A Queensland Police Service statement read that officers discovered a Nissan Patrol allegedly drove through San Fernando Dr, Harry Mills Dr and The Pinnacle between September 8 - 10 in a manner to intentionally kill or cause serious injury to animals.

He was arrested on September 17 and charged with one count each of serious animal cruelty and driving without due care as well as three counts of fraud.