Goofy roo a soccer star
OAKEY is home to its very own socceroo.
It is a five-yearold eastern brown kangaroo who was handraised by a local carer.
Her son taught the marsupial to play soccer, and despite being released into the wild years ago, Skippy still loves a kick from time to time.
WHILE Aussie kangaroos are well known for their boxing prowess, one Oakey roo is looking to make a name for itself on the soccer pitch.
Oakey man Brendan McCormack filmed a neighbourhood roo playing with a soccer ball in his backyard on Monday.
“He has been around a couple of time,” he said.
‘He floats through with the other roos and now and then he picks something up and has a play.”
The roo is named Skippy and it was hand-raised by Debbie Goudie, the Oakey State High School ag teacher and one of Mr McCormack’s neighbours.
“Skippy was raised at home while my son was a budding soccer player,” she said.
“They would play regular soccer together, and Skippy developed a fascination with soccer balls and anything that looks like soccer balls.
“I had a couple of ball-shaped topiary plants on my veranda and Skippy could not hop past them without having a go at them.
“About 10 plants later, I decide there would be no more topiary plants on my veranda.”
When Skippy was old enough, Mrs Goudie had him castrated and released him into the wild, but the friendly roo did not stray far from home.
“He is just a big goofy roo,” she said.
“I do not think there would be anyone on our side of Oakey hill who has not got a visit from him.
“I see him four or five times a week, he will come right up to the back door and does not mind a bit of strawberry jam on toast.”
Over the years, Mrs Goudie raised and released more than 30 roos.
“A lot the boys at school go shooting on the weekend and tell them, ‘If you find a joey in a pouch, do not knock it on the head, bring it to me.’”
“I know are in drought and roos are a pest, but you have to look after the babies.”