A BRIEF 15-second video clip of four mature kangaroos in Millicent’s main street has become an international social media sensation and attracted the attention of newsrooms in New York.
The rare footage was captured on a smartphone by Millicent resident Henry Walshaw in George Street at 1.30pm on Saturday.
The vision has since been viewed by tens of thousands, with some suggesting Millicent was now the kangaroo capital of Australia.
The four marsupials bounded in a northerly direction between St Alphonsus Church and the Grand Hotel and travelled at an estimated speed of 20kph.
Believed to be the common Eastern Grey kangaroo species, they bemused a pedestrian outside the former Commonwealth Bank and narrowly avoided at least two vehicles as they zig-zagged along the main street.
It was pure chance that Mr Walshaw was on the scene as a front-seat passenger in a vehicle driven by his father David.
They were heading into the Millicent CBD when they saw the four kangaroos make a right-hand turn from Short Street into George Street.
Within a few seconds, Mr Walshaw had activated the video capability of his smartphone and started filming.
“Dad slowed our vehicle down to about 20kph to avoid colliding with the roos,” Mr Walshaw said.
“They turned off and went down the hill alongside the Grand Hotel but we did not follow them.”
Mr Walshaw said he had been contacted by a news organisation in New York which is the American equivalent of the ABC.
Wallabies are occasionally seen in the Millicent central business district, but the presence of four mature kangaroos seemingly has no precedent.
Duck-a-Roo animal rescuer Narelle Marshall said this was the time of year when wallabies and kangaroos were seen more.
“Between April and September, I rescue about three on average per month,” Ms Marshall said.
“They tend to come out and feed on the green pastures on the roadsides which is caused by the water running off the road.
“Traffic has been quieter of late due to the COVID-19 restrictions but it is picking up again.”
Kangaroos and wallabies are also still prevalent on the region’s roads, according to Dave Reilly’s Panel and Paint co-proprietor Kay Reilly.
She said kangaroo collisions made up 80pc of business.
“I am still seeing plenty of kangaroos around,” Ms Reilly said.
“They are about at all times of the day and you see them where pine forests have been cleared.
“Although people have not been driving about as much due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the amount of work in our workshop has not dropped.”
