OLD MATEY
by Peter Harris
copyright 2000
As broadcast on ABC's "Australia All Over"

'Old Matey'
the Brush Tailed Rock Wallaby

Running through the middle of Secret Gully is a miniature gorge. Over the distance of about a kilometre the creek falls 30 metres through a series of rapids and little waterfalls. Don't let the word little fool you, because in many a wet season a massive amount of water hurls itself through this narrow cliff lined gorge. Over the aeons it has worn the rugged granite cliff faces down until they are as smooth as silk.

Spread out through the gorge are a series of permanent water holes, one above the other. Each one is deep and cool and just right for swimming. The trouble is that it's hard to decide which one to visit. Of course, this sort of problem is rather a pleasant one to solve, because every solution turns out to be just perfect.

There are some seasonal factors which influence our decisions. Pool number one is the highest and involves a short hike through the bush. So it's best not to go there in tick season. But it has a rock diving platform which faces a cliff that glows in the afternoon sunshine. Good choice.

Pool number two is our favourite summer pool. It has a wide expanse of bare granite rock shelf to dive from, which means that you can see the terrain well, and don't have to worry about accidentally stepping on a snake. Good choice.

Pool number three involves a mildly challenging clamber through tumbled boulders and twisted rocky outcrops, down to a little shelf surrounded by a high cliff. The winter sun warms the rocks here and it is a perfect place to have some natural heat therapy on tired muscles. The pool is narrow but very deep and cool in summer. Good choice.

And so the difficult choices go on. But we are not alone in this confusing situation. You see we share the gorge with another family. And they too have the same problem of multiple choice. They have their own favourite places to sit and contemplate and usually vary their visits to match the weather and the season. This is just a small family, the members of which are rather short. In fact the tallest member of the family is barely as high as your knee and his name is Old Matey. He is a brush tailed rock wallaby.

We've been in Secret Gully on and off for almost twenty years now. And in all that time we have only very occasionally met the brush tailed rock wallaby family. They are very shy and so agile that they can scale the bare cliff faces with just a few effortless leaps. Unlike other wallabies they hold their tail above their backs as they race across the rocks, looking at times like some sort of squirrel.

Not so long ago, Old Matey decided to take up permanent residence at the house. He leaps over a small wall and spends many hours a day under an old door which serves as a tool bench. And not content with that, he now spends most of the night up on the roof. With one jump he bounces off the alsonite at the side of the bathroom and lands on top of the house.

The alsonite wasn't designed for this sort of treatment and we fully expect Old Matey to end up in a warm bath with someone soon. All night long the old Brush Tailed Rock Wallaby keeps watch over the dark valley from the safe vantage point of the roof. He clatters and thumps from one side to the other as he peers into this shadow and that. When there is no action to watch, he nibbles the leaves from overhanging trees. And we used to think that the little antechinus were noisy!

Of course for obvious reasons we have suddenly lost interest in drinking rainwater, but perhaps that's just a small price to pay for having one of the most remarkable little wallabies in Australia living on your roof.