Aussie publican receives death threats after filming controversial act with kangaroo
The first is captioned 'This guy wanted to punch on this morning' and shows a large male eastern grey kangaroo at the edge of a creek, appearing scared and shaking its head as a dog barks from behind the camera. In the second video, the animal is compared to Bruce Lee because it uses a paw to deflect a stick thrown in the direction of its head.
Since Thursday, the post has attracted close to 500 comments, with some respondents concerned about the presence of the dog, and others outraged by the throwing of the stick. 'The poor roo is terrified,' one person wrote. 'Not remotely funny,' another person added. 'Leave him alone,' someone else said.
The Kevington Hotel is located on the banks of the Goulburn River in Victoria's northeast. It's publican Daryl said he just posts "different sh**" that happens in the bush that city-folk would be unlikely to see, and that's why he chose to share the kangaroo video.
He told Yahoo News he was surprised by how quickly the situation escalated and that some of the responses have unsettled him. He claims to have received an angry phone call from an anonymous number, along with multiple threats to his life.
'There's been three or four death threats, there have been a couple of threats to burn the pub down with us in it, and there's been one to bash me… It's getting a bit ridiculous when someone threatens to kill your family. I mean, over throwing a stick at a kangaroo,' he said.
Publican claims kangaroo video taken out of context
While the videos themselves are unsettling to watch, Daryl argues his detractors have taken them out of context.
He said he ventured down to the creek after he heard his dog barking and then called it away from the kangaroo. He claims to have had the kangaroo's own welfare in mind when he tried to scare it off from an area close to a campground where families camp with their dogs.
He's formed an opinion that large males can become very aggressive when they're living close to human settlements. And he doesn't want a repeat of what occurred at a nearby property last year, when a kangaroo was shot because it was considered a risk to a woman and her dog who lived there.
'What I've done with this kangaroo is, yes, I threw a stick at it. I didn't hit the kangaroo. And the whole reason to do that was to scare it off, back into the bushland, which is behind us, so it can live for the rest of its life. And the job's been done. It hasn't come back,' he said.
'If they become a pest, they always get put down, and I don't want that to happen.'
🐳 Major change seen off Australia's coast linked to 'worrying' event
🌏 Irreplaceable 6.5-hectare forest protected for future generations
🚨 Warning signs placed around Australian shopping centre after mass poisoning
Daryl said he's got a soft spot for kangaroos and doesn't even serve their meat at his pub. He claims to have saved at least three joeys from the side of the road after their mothers were hit and killed on roads, and to have euthanised multiple injured kangaroos with broken legs.
'I absolutely love and adore our native wildlife… Anyone who wants to take what I've done out of context is just a complete and utter twat,' he said.
Concern viewers could copy publican's behaviour
The internet is awash with controversial videos of people encountering Australia's wildlife, and social media companies like Facebook have historically refused to remove them. Daryl said he hates seeing animal cruelty videos, and concedes he was a 'little light on strategy' when he shared his own videos of the kangaroo without context.
Alyssa Wormald from the Victorian Kangaroo Alliance, a non-profit that advocates for the animals, said 'the best thing' Daryl could now do is delete the controversial video.
She is concerned people watching it could assume throwing a stick at a kangaroo is an 'acceptable interaction' and decide to copy the behaviour. 'Despite his intentions, it is cruel,' she said.
Not only was Wormald 'appalled' by the stick throwing, she has concerns about the prolonged stress the kangaroo was under due to the presence of the barking dog.
Kangaroos are not known to be aggressive to dogs unless they are feeling cornered and defend themselves. High levels of stress can result in a condition called stress myopathy, which leads to muscle degeneration and a slow death.
In her opinion, the better option would have been to control the dog and then walk away 'slowly and calmly'. 'Kangaroos usually bound away from people when they are given plenty of space and an exit route,' she said.
'Even if he did scare the kangaroo into the bush, he will likely come back anyway if that is where the food is.'
Wormald and her family share their property with a large old male kangaroo, and she feels 'blessed' to have him there. 'They are such special animals and deserve our respect,' she said.
Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Aussie fisherman's illegal act 'costs him $12,000 and his boat'
An east coast fisherman has been hit with a whopping fine and had his boat destroyed after he was caught in a highly illegal act in the country's northeast last week. Officers from the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) launched an investigation after reports of interference with fishing gear in Cairns. When they visited the man's property, they allegedly uncovered more than just stolen catches — a sawfish rostrum was found along with commercial gill nets. The sawfish's long, tooth-lined snout is its most distinctive feature. It's also protected by law, making its removal illegal. The man was slapped with a $12,000 fine and has lost his boat permanently. Authorities say it will be destroyed. "This man's poor decision to interfere with other people's crab pots has cost him $12,000 and his boat," QBFP Manager Greg Bowness said. Why is interfering with fishing gear illegal? Under Queensland law, touching or lifting another person's crab pot is illegal, even if the intention isn't to steal crabs. The Fisheries Act 1994 strictly prohibits interference with fishing gear that you don't own, to protect both the sustainability of marine life and the integrity of recreational and commercial fishing. While it may seem harmless, this kind of interference undermines the efforts of legitimate fishers and can damage livelihoods. Recreational and commercial fishers alike rely on the fairness of the system, being able to trust that their equipment, and whatever it catches, will be left undisturbed. Alarming haul pulled from major Aussie river MP says it's 'time to release the virus' as invasive species takes over Trailer full of fish exposes disturbing reality in Aussie waterways Sawfish are a protected species in Queensland waters due to their declining population. The discovery of a rostrum in the man's possession raised further questions about his fishing practices. Removing or possessing parts of these endangered animals is a serious offence and can attract additional penalties. Gill nets are also tightly controlled in Queensland due to their potential to harm non-target species, including turtles, dugongs and dolphins. This case serves as a reminder that fisheries officers have wide powers to investigate and prosecute breaches of fishing laws, and that the consequences for doing the wrong thing can be significant. Earlier this month, a Victorian copped a $2,000 fine after authorities discovered he was allegedly using live carp as fishing bait, a serious breach of the law. The Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) said he was also allegedly deploying illegal setlines, another significant offence. VFA said "given the risk of the man's fishing activity spreading carp to other Victorian waters", officers proceeded to inspect his property, where they located "a large seine net, and several setlines like those observed in Broken Creek". As a result, the fisher received fines of more than $2,000 for possessing live noxious aquatic species, using carp as live bait, and possessing commercial fishing equipment without authorisation. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aussie's cheeky stunt with parked cars prompts $750 fine warning
Aussies are being warned that a tactic to avoid parking fines can land culprits with fines as high as $750 and even jail time, after a cheeky video went viral online. The reminder comes after a NSW resident shared footage of water being poured over the tyres of chalk-marked cars to remove the substance. Ticket inspectors, who operate as authorised officers, use chalk to mark tyres as a method of tracking how long a vehicle has been parked in a specific spot. Some have branded the move "heroic", while others called for it to be "normalised". But Astor Legal's leading criminal lawyer Avinash Singh told Yahoo News it could be seen as an offence in the eyes of the law. This is because removing chalk could hinder a parking ranger from carrying out their duties and prevent them from issuing fines, he explained. "It depends on what state you're in," Singh told Yahoo. "In South Australia, it is definitely illegal, as there is a specific act that deals with it. In other states, there is no specific act, but there are some general pieces of legislation referred to as perverting the course of justice, or attempting to pervert the course of justice." Singh warned that anyone could be "opening themselves up to significant penalties" if caught in the act. Footage of the moment has been viewed over a million times, with many praising the tactic to help fellow Aussies avoid parking fines. Singh believes it's captured the public's attention because many would be wondering if it is really allowed. "The first thing you would think is 'is this even legal, and that's where the curiosity has come from," he said. So, what does the law say? South Australia is the only state that has a specific law that addresses this issue. Section 174AB of the Road Traffic Act 1961 makes it an offence to remove a parking inspector's chalk from a vehicle. The maximum fine for this is $750 if taken to court. According to Singh, the law was implemented because the practice of removing chalk became widespread among residents. In NSW, Section 319 Crimes Act 1900 makes it an offence to do any act, or make any omission, intending in any way to pervert the course of justice. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years if caught. In Queensland, Section 140 of the Criminal Code 1899 makes it an offence for a person to attempt to obstruct, prevent, pervert, or defeat the course of justice. The maximum penalty is seven years' jail. In Western Australia, Section 143 of the Criminal Code 1899 makes it an offence for a person to attempt to obstruct, prevent, pervert, or defeat the course of justice. The maximum penalty is seven years' jail. In Victoria, there is a common law offence of attempting to pervert the course of justice which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years' imprisonment. Despite the laws, Singh explained it would be hard to prove an offence had taken place. "Unless [the parking inspector] directly saw you or had some sort of footage, it would be almost impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt," he explained. He adds that chalking isn't the best way for inspectors to catch out drivers who have overstayed their welcome, and drivers can contest fines by asking for evidence they were correctly timed. "Chalking itself isn't the best method to use because there are some holes to exploit to get out of fines. What is better evidence these days is a time-stamped photograph," he said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Update in search for missing kids, baby
Two schoolchildren and a newborn baby missing from the Gold Coast have been found safe and well, police say. The girl and boy were last seen in Pimpama at about 8.50am on Friday, July 18. It was believed they were with a woman and baby known to them. Family and police were concerned for their welfare due to their young age, with their disappearance sparking a widespread search and public appeal for information. Queensland police confirmed on Monday afternoon that the three children and the woman had all been located 'safe and well'. No charges have been laid.