Rogue kangaroo attacks elderly man in Queensland

© Max Fleet / NewsMail

ROO ATTACK: Bargara resident Bevan Irwin wants something done about the rogue kangaroo that attacked him in his backyard, fearing it may kill a child.

Bevan Irwin was locking his car outside his home at Bargara on September 14 when he was violently attack by a large male kangaroo.

Mr Irwin suffered severe gashes to his head and stomach and spent two-and-a-half weeks in the hospital at Bundaberg, including two visits to the intensive care unit.

The 67-year-old considers himself lucky he wasn't killed.

Despite calls for the animal to be destroyed and reports of the same kangaroo behaving aggressively towards other people, it is still on the hop.

Almost two months after the attack, the Bundaberg Regional Council and the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection are still in disagreement over who should deal with the rogue roo.

Mayor Mal Forman said the council had been given a permit to euthanise the animal but was yet to do so.

"Council has a mitigation permit to deal with this kangaroo however none of our staff are suitably qualified to handle kangaroo culling or relocation, particularly one which is so large and has reportedly proven to be aggressive," Cr Forman said.

"Council accepted the permit as it was not willing to be left in a position that would render us unable to legally act in the interests of community safety."

Bargara's divisional councillor Greg Barnes said the council should not have to cover the cost of hiring an expert and had sought legal advice over the "dispute" with the state government.

"We look after dogs, cats and chooks - not kangaroos, brumbies, dingoes and crocodiles," Cr Barnes said.

"We don't have any experience, we don't even know how to identify this kangaroo other than it's a big roo, so we could quite easily go out there and kill the wrong one."

The DEHP has erected signs around the town warning visitors to keep away from kangaroos, which Cr Barnes claimed was an acknowledgment of responsibility for dealing with the situation.

A DEHP spokesperson said the department issued damage mitigation permits to landholders or local authorities to manage or remove problem native wildlife but was not responsible for managing or removing the wildlife itself.

"EHP contacted Bundaberg Regional Council about the situation when this incident originally occurred and offered assistance should Council require a damage mitigation permit to remove the kangaroo or any other macropods in the area considered to be of concern," the spokesperson said.

"A permit has been issued to Council giving them the authority to humanely euthanize aggressive kangaroos where they pose a risk to public safety."

Mr Irwin, 67, has recovered from the attack but some of his wounds are still healing.

He said he feared for his life when he was attacked but would prefer the roo to be relocated rather than put down.

"He went berserk... it was a terrifying thing," Mr Irwin said.

"He just kept kicking. If he didn't stop when he did I would have been dead.

"As long as he doesn't come back here I don't care."