Koala stowaway spends night on luxury yacht at Raymond Island

A stowaway koala has spent the night running wild on a luxury yacht in the Gippsland Lakes, mistaking the mast for a gumtree.

A koala on the steering wheel of luxury yacht Pipedream.

A confused koala stowed away on a luxury yacht moored at Raymond Island and spent the night after apparently mistaking the mast for a tree.

Stuart Loft, partner Kerry Simpson and “Marlay the wonder dog” were below deck in their cabin docked the Gippsland Lakes when they were startled by a disturbance above about 12.30am on Sunday.

“We were staying on our yacht, Pipedream, when old mate decided to take up residence on the boat,” Stuart says.

The koala treating Pipedream’s mast like a gum tree. Picture: Stuart Loft

The koala spent the night clambering around the yacht. Picture: Stuart Loft

“We heard it climb on board and they are quite noisy – like they’re wearing hobnail boots.

“I’ve poked my head up through the front hatch of the boat, and we went eye-to-eye.

“He walked around a bit, then decided to climb up the sail on the front of the boat, and managed to put a hole in it.”

The novice sailor spent a good couple of hours clinging to the yacht’s mast, before clambering down to sniff out a cosy new spot.

“Then he gave a bear hug, so to speak, around the steering wheel and fell asleep there until it was daylight,” Stuart says.

“And I guess he got his bearings again then, and just trotted off.

“It was a pretty cool experience just watching him mooch around.

“He decided he needed to go to the toilet about 50 times, so I was picking up koala poo all morning!”

Yacht Pipedream, with Marlay the pointer. Picture: Stuart Loft

Stuart lives in the Gippsland Lakes in the beachside town of Paynesville, opposite Raymond Island, which is famous for its large koala colony.

Raymond Island has hundreds of human residents, too, who’ve become used to unusual encounters with the hundreds of koala and kangaroos.

Holiday-makers can take the short ferry ride across the water from Paynesville to the island, then follow an easy 3km circuit trail, often spotting as many as 20 sleepy koalas in the trees.

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