17/10/2026
Mara 🐨❤️🔥
At the end of September, we attended a call-out to Lowood for a displaced koala clinging to a poolyard fence.
Mara had wandered in from the neighbouring bushland behind the golf course and found herself face to face with the resident dogs. She was able to climb the fence to keep out of reach but then had nowhere to go.
Our caller arrived home to find the dogs barking at and keeping her cornered.
They were able to quickly contain the dogs and immediately report Mara for rescue. Thankfully, we were conducting a welfare check at R***e Range at the time of the call, so we were able to get there quickly.
Mara was ultra cranky and certainly wasn't about to go into care quietly. She was very nervous as I approached, but the second I had hands on her, it was game on. She began growling, bucking, biting and clawing by any means necessary to get free. She was not successful. 😌
Unfortunately, domestic pets naturally carry types of bacteria that can be incredibly harmful to our native wildlife. Any interaction between your cat or dog and a wild animal should be reported to your local rescue group so the animal can be properly assessed and treated.
This is why we are so thankful to have received the call for Miss Mara — our main concerns were not only physical injuries but also the risk of infection.
On intake at RSPCA Wacol, Mara weighed in at 6kg and was estimated to be around eight years old. She received a body score of 7/10 and successfully made it onto the ward. ❤️🩹
Luckily, she hadn't sustained any fractures or open wounds during her ordeal, but she did suffer injuries to her abdomen and had a contusion to her lungs likely the result of being grabbed by the dog.
After a few days of rest, close observation and a round of antibiotics to eliminate the risk of infection, Mara was cleared to go home!
We were faced then with a new set of worries for our poor girl — where to put her?
Lowood is currently following in the footsteps of Fernvale and Ipswich, with new high-density estates being erected where koala habitat once stood. As rescuers, we are seeing the effects of these careless urban expansions in real time.
In the two days before Mara's ordeal, we responded to two young male koalas who had been hit and killed by cars on Clarendon Road, directly beside the newly cleared blocks of land and in front of the estate.
Now we have koalas finding themselves on a misadventure, attempting to return to trees that were long ago reduced to mulch and, in the process, are being met with a whole new set of dangers.
In Mara's best interests, we relocated her to the other side of the golf course, away from housing and main roads, so she can hopefully continue to live a long, healthy life.
We picked a lovely spot for her to call home, and she could NOT WAIT to get up her release tree!
It was the perfect end to the day, until every bird in Lowood apparently decided to arrive and terrorise our poor girl as she made her way up the tree. They did soon after leave her alone, allowing her to curl up for a well-earned nap.
We couldn't be happier knowing our girl is home safe. 🌟
Thank you to our caller for getting Mara help ASAP, and to the Wacol team for taking such good care of her.
Stay healthy and safe, Mara. 💝
