Helen Fairbairn has been a resident of Currawong Crescent South West Rocks for nearly 40 years now, but recently she received an unusual visitor, a koala.
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"I was born and raised in South West Rocks, there were maybe 300 people living here when I was growing up, and this is the first time I've seen a koala here," she said.
"My husband was sitting out the front and saw him walking down the road; I've never heard of one just walking down the street at South West Rocks."
"He was a big healthy boy too; my husband and neighbour went pretty close to him."
After the initial shock wore off, Helen and her husband quickly joined their neighbour in catching a few quick photos of the rare visitor who climbed the tree near their properties. Joy quickly turned to sadness though when they began to wonder why the marsupial was in the residential area.
"They way they have been clearing land and trees around South West Rocks is terrible, I've never really been overly environmental or anything like that, but it does make you wonder, if we take away their homes, where are these animals supposed to go, it's so sad," Helen said.
After leaving the tree, the koala sauntered over to the local sporting field where some birds gave him a rather nasty welcome.
"After he left the tree, he ended up climbing the light pole over at the sporting field where some birds started harassing him, after that he went somewhere towards the trees at the golf course," Helen said.
"I don't know where he ended up; we haven't seen him since, maybe we will see him again one day."
This koala isn't the first Australian Native to frequent Currawong Crescent, and according to keen animal lover Helen, there are always a few skipping around.
"Over on the sporting fields there are usually dozens of kangaroos, everyone just plays around them, animals seem to be getting closer and closer as we clear their habitats," she said.
"I love animals; I would do anything for them; I usually come home with an injured bird from my walk."
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