The Mob

The town where I live is a rural one – lots of smaller properties growing fruit, mainly.  The further away from the town the more ‘scrubby’ it becomes – less people, less houses, more open bush.

We often go to our local golf club for tea.  It’s a few kilometres out of town, and is quite the oasis in the middle of a scrub (in Australia, the scrub is the open bushland).  Lots of green grass, it certainly can be very appealing when it’s very hot.

This is the view I had when we went on Friday night.

Obviously not just appealing to golfers.

I lost count at forty.

When kangaroos see you, they stop, they stand up leaning on their tail and they give you a good long look to decide if they are in danger. These kangaroos are so near tame, it’s easy to get quite close to get a photo.  These are smaller ones, I’d not get too close to a big male.  Thankfully, most of them were smaller.

This is just one one green.  There are eighteen greens at our golf club.

I’ve said before, I never tire of looking at them.  But to see this many up so close, in such a people-place is quite rare.  They do little damage to the greens, so the golfer in the family tells me and so they are tolerated by the powers that be at the golf club.  They only come out around tea time (six o’clock or so) when it cools down and the people are limited.

There are approximately 60 million kangaroos in Australia.  There are more kangaroos now than in the time of European settlement.  They are called Mobs.  Or Troups.  Or a Court. 

It’s dangerous driving at night.  The last thing you want to do is hit a ‘roo.  And people hit them ALL the time.  They meander into the middle of the road, and when they see the lights, they jump somewhere.  Often it’s right smack dab in front of your car.  It’s scary and dangerous, and most country drivers are well aware of the risks of kangaroos on the road.  Touch wood, cross my fingers, say a prayer – but for now I’ve never had the bad luck of doing that.  Came close a few times and it makes your heart jump into your throat.

In Australia, especially where I live, you may see an emu every so often.  You rarely see wombats or some of the more exotic animals we have.  Most of them are nocturnal.  The kangaroos – they are everywhere, and they are lovely. 

Till tomorrow,

Suzie