Episode 4

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0:00:02 > 0:00:03HE MIMICS KANGAROO CALL

0:00:03 > 0:00:07Deep in the heart of Central Australia

0:00:07 > 0:00:08lives a family like no other.

0:00:10 > 0:00:12This is Brolga...

0:00:15 > 0:00:18a man who has sacrificed everything to give orphaned kangaroos

0:00:18 > 0:00:20a second chance at life.

0:00:21 > 0:00:23Some people, they think that's a bit strange,

0:00:23 > 0:00:26a bloke being a mum to an orphaned kangaroo.

0:00:26 > 0:00:30But I do it because I see what other people don't see.

0:00:30 > 0:00:33I see that little joey call out for help.

0:00:35 > 0:00:37From his tin shack hidden in the bush,

0:00:37 > 0:00:41Brolga raises his babies until they're ready to be released.

0:00:43 > 0:00:47Just as with any family, each new day brings fresh challenges.

0:00:47 > 0:00:49Mad as a cut snake, you are, mate!

0:00:49 > 0:00:54Tonight, we catch-up with Cynthia and a joey who's growing up fast.

0:00:55 > 0:00:57He's a little bit like a little Buddha, actually,

0:00:57 > 0:01:00he's got quite a fat tummy, so...

0:01:00 > 0:01:02Ruby develops a drinking problem.

0:01:02 > 0:01:06Little Ruby's taken the milk down the wrong way which is a big problem.

0:01:06 > 0:01:09It's an emergency - a real emergency.

0:01:09 > 0:01:14And Brolga moves mountains for troublesome teenage wallaby, Rocky.

0:01:14 > 0:01:15- Ah, here we go. - SHATTERING

0:01:15 > 0:01:17He is mischief all over.

0:01:17 > 0:01:20He's actually got worse and worse.

0:01:20 > 0:01:23Welcome to the world of Kangaroo Dundee.

0:01:30 > 0:01:32It's morning in the outback

0:01:32 > 0:01:34and a busy time of day for Brolga.

0:01:37 > 0:01:41Orphan joeys Rex and Ruby are on a training programme to get them

0:01:41 > 0:01:44fit enough to live with the other kangaroos at his sanctuary.

0:01:47 > 0:01:51And Brolga knows it's important to stick to a strict timetable.

0:01:53 > 0:01:55But it's in the cool of morning,

0:01:55 > 0:01:58or the late afternoon around sunset, that you'd often see

0:01:58 > 0:02:02a little baby their size having a run with its mother close by.

0:02:04 > 0:02:07That's why I'm giving Rex and Ruby just a little hop of

0:02:07 > 0:02:10about ten minutes in the cool of the morning.

0:02:14 > 0:02:17Hopping practice is just one of Brolga's daily duties.

0:02:19 > 0:02:22But this kangaroo mum wouldn't have it any other way.

0:02:25 > 0:02:29'Having a baby kangaroo, a little orphan is...

0:02:29 > 0:02:34'It really takes as much of your time and energy

0:02:34 > 0:02:37'to look after as a newborn child.'

0:02:40 > 0:02:41So, when people have asked me,

0:02:41 > 0:02:44"Am I going to have children of my own, like human children?"

0:02:45 > 0:02:49I sort of feel like I've been doing it for years anyway,

0:02:49 > 0:02:52just with, but with little baby kangaroos.

0:02:53 > 0:02:56Today, the joeys have had enough of hopping.

0:02:58 > 0:03:01And decide it's time for a spot of preening instead.

0:03:08 > 0:03:13Ruby uses her big feet to get to those hard to reach places.

0:03:14 > 0:03:18Whereas Rex's technique is a little less elegant.

0:03:27 > 0:03:30These two joeys have always been model pupils.

0:03:33 > 0:03:37- But ten miles away in Alice Springs...- Ow!

0:03:37 > 0:03:40..Brolga's friend Anne-Marie has a houseguest

0:03:40 > 0:03:41who isn't so cooperative...

0:03:44 > 0:03:46..wayward wallaby, Rocky.

0:03:51 > 0:03:54Don't bite. Don't bite.

0:03:56 > 0:04:01This is Rocky and he's my little black-footed rock-wallaby.

0:04:02 > 0:04:04I've got a room out the back for him

0:04:04 > 0:04:07and he's got shelves and he can bounce all over those.

0:04:07 > 0:04:10But he's started pulling the paint and eating the cornices in there

0:04:10 > 0:04:14as well and I'm like, "Oh, my God. "What am I going to do?" Y'know?

0:04:15 > 0:04:18He's at the point where he's got to go and be a wild animal.

0:04:18 > 0:04:20He's got to realise that he's actually a wallaby

0:04:20 > 0:04:22and he doesn't live in a house.

0:04:22 > 0:04:24No! Don't...don't eat my nails!

0:04:25 > 0:04:28Brolga's offered to take on the tearaway,

0:04:28 > 0:04:30and time is of the essence.

0:04:30 > 0:04:31Ay. Don't!

0:04:32 > 0:04:34The wallaby's relationship with Anne-Marie

0:04:34 > 0:04:36is starting to hit the rocks.

0:04:38 > 0:04:40Don't bite!

0:04:44 > 0:04:48Brolga's promised to build him his very own enclosure at the sanctuary.

0:04:50 > 0:04:53Without it, Rocky will have nowhere to go.

0:04:55 > 0:04:59No-one else is willing to do this for Rocky.

0:04:59 > 0:05:00But I am.

0:05:01 > 0:05:04"Have I taken on more than I can chew?"

0:05:04 > 0:05:06That's what's going through my head.

0:05:06 > 0:05:10People must look at me and think this guy's a complete nutter.

0:05:15 > 0:05:18Brolga's never looked after a Rock Wallaby before.

0:05:20 > 0:05:23The kangaroos he usually cares for are at home

0:05:23 > 0:05:26in the flat desert scrub of his 90-acre sanctuary...

0:05:28 > 0:05:30whereas Rocky belongs in the mountains.

0:05:32 > 0:05:35But, before he can be released, he needs to get used to the

0:05:35 > 0:05:40unfamiliar terrain - or he won't have the skills he needs to survive.

0:05:42 > 0:05:45So, Brolga has to create a habitat from scratch.

0:05:48 > 0:05:51If I don't do this, Rocky has no future.

0:05:51 > 0:05:53So, I've just got to build him a beautiful rockery

0:05:53 > 0:05:58so he can hop up, become agile, become strong,

0:05:58 > 0:06:00rehab him to get him back to the bush.

0:06:00 > 0:06:01That's all I'm seeing.

0:06:09 > 0:06:12The building materials for Rocky's rockery have just arrived...

0:06:18 > 0:06:21..a lorry load of Australian sandstone.

0:06:23 > 0:06:25Rocky's rehab isn't coming cheap...

0:06:27 > 0:06:29It's always been a financial struggle for me,

0:06:29 > 0:06:31having the sanctuary.

0:06:31 > 0:06:35I've always put everything into keeping the animals safe.

0:06:35 > 0:06:38Every last penny I have is for the sanctuary.

0:06:39 > 0:06:43And now here I am today, bringing in these materials that have

0:06:43 > 0:06:46cost me in excess of 5,000 or 6,000.

0:06:48 > 0:06:50That's a huge financial strain.

0:06:51 > 0:06:54It's a lot of money for a man who's spent the last few years

0:06:54 > 0:06:55living in a shack.

0:07:01 > 0:07:05So, Brolga's been scouring the sanctuary for things he can recycle.

0:07:11 > 0:07:14You've got to make do with what you've got out here

0:07:14 > 0:07:16and I've had this aviary for a few years.

0:07:16 > 0:07:19It's going to be the central part of Rocky's enclosure.

0:07:22 > 0:07:26I'm going to stack rocks up against the solid walls of the aviary.

0:07:26 > 0:07:30And that will give us some foundation for a little mountain.

0:07:30 > 0:07:33Something that he can climb up and down.

0:07:33 > 0:07:35Just like being up in the mountains.

0:07:36 > 0:07:40I have to put my head down now and build his enclosure.

0:07:47 > 0:07:51The first stage of the build is to get the aviary into position.

0:07:56 > 0:07:57It's only just hitting me now

0:07:57 > 0:08:00because I've started to take down the fence.

0:08:00 > 0:08:01My dog proof fence.

0:08:01 > 0:08:05Something I spent so much time on to keep the dogs out,

0:08:05 > 0:08:09I've got to cut away a little part of it to allow a truck in to

0:08:09 > 0:08:14move this massive aviary down into the sanctuary.

0:08:20 > 0:08:23Operation Rocky is under way.

0:08:26 > 0:08:27They need to work fast.

0:08:29 > 0:08:33With the fence down, there's a chance the kangaroos could escape.

0:08:40 > 0:08:41Mission accomplished.

0:08:46 > 0:08:50But there's still the small issue of moving some very big rocks.

0:08:54 > 0:08:55But that will have to wait.

0:08:57 > 0:08:59It's Rex and Ruby's dinner time.

0:09:04 > 0:09:08In the wild, they'd have constant access to milk from their mothers.

0:09:10 > 0:09:13So, this is the joeys' favourite time of day.

0:09:15 > 0:09:18These two little ones love their milk. Now milk is their life.

0:09:18 > 0:09:21If they ran away I could start stirring their milk with

0:09:21 > 0:09:25an empty bowl and a fork and they'll coming running out of the bushes.

0:09:27 > 0:09:31It's six hours since Ruby's last feed, and she's very hungry.

0:09:32 > 0:09:34And when Ruby's hungry...

0:09:35 > 0:09:36She bolts her food.

0:09:36 > 0:09:38Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

0:09:38 > 0:09:40That's not good. Quick. Out.

0:09:43 > 0:09:45It's a common problem for bottle-fed joeys,

0:09:45 > 0:09:47and can have dangerous consequences.

0:09:49 > 0:09:50Drain it out.

0:09:50 > 0:09:52HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE

0:09:52 > 0:09:55It's an emergency. A real emergency.

0:09:56 > 0:09:58Little Ruby's taken the milk down the wrong way,

0:09:58 > 0:10:00which is a big problem.

0:10:01 > 0:10:05Whenever this happens you've got to quickly stop feeding.

0:10:05 > 0:10:09Drain the milk out, otherwise the milk can get into the lungs

0:10:09 > 0:10:12and pneumonia could develop later on.

0:10:14 > 0:10:17Gravity will force the milk to drain.

0:10:18 > 0:10:21So, you've got to be on the ball when you're feeding a joey.

0:10:23 > 0:10:24HE CLICKS TONGUE

0:10:24 > 0:10:26All gone? Um?

0:10:27 > 0:10:29Just listen to her chest.

0:10:31 > 0:10:34It's clean. Clear. No wheezing.

0:10:40 > 0:10:42Bit of an emergency, wasn't it?

0:10:44 > 0:10:46It's also feeding time in Alice Springs

0:10:46 > 0:10:49for four-month-old orphan, Mark.

0:10:49 > 0:10:52OK. Come on, young man, back to bed.

0:10:52 > 0:10:56He's being cared for by Brolga's friend Cynthia Lynch.

0:10:56 > 0:10:57That's a good boy.

0:10:58 > 0:11:01Oh, you're getting such a big boy, aren't you?

0:11:01 > 0:11:04Look at that, a little bit of hair there too.

0:11:04 > 0:11:06Yes!

0:11:06 > 0:11:09All right, your bottle's coming. Just give it a minute.

0:11:09 > 0:11:12When Cynthia took Mark in a month ago,

0:11:12 > 0:11:15he was so frail, the odds were stacked against him.

0:11:15 > 0:11:19Come on, little man. Is this what you're after?

0:11:19 > 0:11:22Ah, thank you, grandma. Yes.

0:11:22 > 0:11:27Since then, Mark's almost doubled in weight, and is growing up fast.

0:11:27 > 0:11:29He's got his eyes open.

0:11:29 > 0:11:32He's practised very hard and now got his ears right up.

0:11:32 > 0:11:36And so far he's doing very, very well, except he's a bit greedy.

0:11:39 > 0:11:41A little bit like a little Buddha, actually,

0:11:41 > 0:11:44he's got quite a fat tummy.

0:11:44 > 0:11:45Come on.

0:11:46 > 0:11:47Back to bed.

0:11:48 > 0:11:50Full tummy.

0:11:50 > 0:11:52There we are.

0:11:54 > 0:11:55Sweet dreams.

0:11:58 > 0:12:00Mark will have to stay in the incubator

0:12:00 > 0:12:02until he has enough fur to keep him warm.

0:12:07 > 0:12:13At the moment, a lot of his energy is going into growing hair and fur

0:12:13 > 0:12:17and, once he gets his hair, he will really start to put the weight on.

0:12:22 > 0:12:26Soon, Mark will graduate to life outside Cynthia's incubator,

0:12:26 > 0:12:28and he's already getting impatient.

0:12:36 > 0:12:40The hope is to one day release Mark into the wild,

0:12:40 > 0:12:42and Cynthia's feeling optimistic.

0:12:44 > 0:12:46There shouldn't be any reason why Mark shouldn't continue to

0:12:46 > 0:12:49progress now and start to make big leaps and bounds.

0:12:56 > 0:12:59Back in the bush, it's nap time for Rex and Ruby.

0:13:01 > 0:13:04Outside, Brolga's got a mountain to move.

0:13:08 > 0:13:11To get the boulders into position, he's hired an earth mover.

0:13:17 > 0:13:18It's a big job...

0:13:19 > 0:13:22..but there's a small problem.

0:13:22 > 0:13:23Oh!

0:13:25 > 0:13:27HE GROANS

0:13:27 > 0:13:28Uh!

0:13:31 > 0:13:32Bit of a slight technical issue.

0:13:34 > 0:13:36This is a problem I often face.

0:13:37 > 0:13:39I don't fit in things very well.

0:13:40 > 0:13:43Part of the problem of being six foot seven.

0:13:44 > 0:13:48So, I might have to ring one of my mates, get them on the blower and...

0:13:48 > 0:13:52My mate Danny said he's had a bit of experience in the past with

0:13:52 > 0:13:54a machine like this.

0:13:55 > 0:13:57I'm just not going to be able to do it

0:13:57 > 0:13:59and I really got to get Rocky's enclosure built.

0:13:59 > 0:14:03At least the rocks up today, I've only hired this for one day,

0:14:03 > 0:14:04that's all I could afford.

0:14:06 > 0:14:07Ahh.

0:14:07 > 0:14:09While he waits for reinforcements,

0:14:09 > 0:14:13Brolga sets off to see a friend, in the hope of finding

0:14:13 > 0:14:16the final flourishes he needs for Rocky's enclosure.

0:14:22 > 0:14:23- G'day, old mate.- Hey.

0:14:23 > 0:14:27'A hoarder to some, Gonno prefers to think of himself

0:14:27 > 0:14:29'as an avid recycler...

0:14:29 > 0:14:32'of absolutely everything.'

0:14:32 > 0:14:34Everything in the outback is in your backyard.

0:14:34 > 0:14:37True! That's all right.

0:14:37 > 0:14:39I need some good logs.

0:14:39 > 0:14:41I've got heaps of them, actually, as you can see.

0:14:43 > 0:14:47Gees, man. That's a lot of timber.

0:14:47 > 0:14:50So, yeah, no, I mean, basically what I'm after is some good ones

0:14:50 > 0:14:54like this long one here, er, maybe some of the smaller ones.

0:14:54 > 0:14:56I've got to really test this little Rock Wallaby.

0:14:56 > 0:15:00I've got to make him stretch and weave and duck and dive,

0:15:00 > 0:15:03and a few big logs, with a few big rocks and...

0:15:03 > 0:15:07- Best of gear!- ..basically, make him climb.

0:15:07 > 0:15:09He's been in the house his whole life until now,

0:15:09 > 0:15:12his young life and we've got to try and get him back to the bush.

0:15:12 > 0:15:15But he's not going to be tough if he's bouncing over cushions.

0:15:15 > 0:15:17- That'll be perfect. - Yeah, no, this'll be great.

0:15:17 > 0:15:18Exercise and things.

0:15:18 > 0:15:21Do you need all these logs or can I have a few of them?

0:15:21 > 0:15:23- You can have it all, if you like. - Fair dinkum.

0:15:23 > 0:15:25All for free. 100% discount.

0:15:25 > 0:15:27Because it's Saturday.

0:15:27 > 0:15:28Ah, Saturday discount!

0:15:28 > 0:15:31Yeah, yeah. Number one.

0:15:31 > 0:15:34- Whatever snakes is underneath you take too.- Oh!

0:15:44 > 0:15:49Back at the sanctuary, with Brolga's friend, Danny, in the driving seat,

0:15:49 > 0:15:51building can finally begin.

0:15:58 > 0:16:02These rocks will form Rocky's main climbing area.

0:16:02 > 0:16:03Put him in that gap there.

0:16:03 > 0:16:05So, they need to be very stable.

0:16:14 > 0:16:15Beautiful!

0:16:20 > 0:16:22Good, good, good, good, good.

0:16:24 > 0:16:27Right there, old timer.

0:16:27 > 0:16:30There are no "how to" books on mountain building.

0:16:30 > 0:16:32Would you like it there?

0:16:32 > 0:16:33I can't see anything.

0:16:33 > 0:16:35All right.

0:16:37 > 0:16:40It's a case of trial and error.

0:16:40 > 0:16:41Hey!

0:16:41 > 0:16:43That's terrible.

0:16:43 > 0:16:46- No, that's good. That's good. No worries.- Sorry.

0:16:50 > 0:16:53It stops the cage from going anywhere.

0:16:53 > 0:16:57It's the middle of the day, and almost 30 degrees Celsius.

0:16:57 > 0:17:00But with only a few hours of digger hire left,

0:17:00 > 0:17:03Danny and Brolga must soldier on.

0:17:08 > 0:17:11Out in the sanctuary, the kangaroos have other ideas.

0:17:15 > 0:17:17They're preparing for a siesta.

0:17:18 > 0:17:20They dig their beds under trees.

0:17:22 > 0:17:26And follow the shadow, as it moves through the hottest part of the day.

0:17:34 > 0:17:37It's a good way of saving energy and avoiding dehydration.

0:17:46 > 0:17:48They'll snooze like this until sundown.

0:17:57 > 0:18:00Back at the shack, Rex and Ruby are getting into the swing

0:18:00 > 0:18:02of this siesta business.

0:18:05 > 0:18:08But whilst their clocks are set to kangaroo time...

0:18:11 > 0:18:14..for mum Brolga, there's no chance to rest.

0:18:14 > 0:18:15Whoa!

0:18:17 > 0:18:21Brolga and Danny have been working solidly for hours.

0:18:27 > 0:18:29Right.

0:18:29 > 0:18:31With tiredness creeping in...

0:18:32 > 0:18:35..the last piece finally falls into place.

0:18:35 > 0:18:36Is it OK?

0:18:38 > 0:18:42'This is the biggest challenge I've undertaken

0:18:42 > 0:18:44'in trying to rehabilitate

0:18:44 > 0:18:46'an individual animal.'

0:18:46 > 0:18:50I had envisaged building a mountain, but,

0:18:50 > 0:18:52that was really unrealistic.

0:18:52 > 0:18:54But, what I've built is a small mountain.

0:18:55 > 0:18:58It will give Rocky challenges.

0:18:58 > 0:19:02Little Rocky, until now, has only been hopping on,

0:19:02 > 0:19:05well, cushions and pillows in Anne-Marie's house.

0:19:06 > 0:19:11Now's the time to bound over these logs and these rocks

0:19:11 > 0:19:14and toughen up the pads on his feet, get him

0:19:14 > 0:19:17ready for the mountains when I release him.

0:19:19 > 0:19:22Finally finished, this is Rocky's mountain.

0:19:24 > 0:19:2630 hay bales...

0:19:26 > 0:19:28a trailer load of timber...

0:19:28 > 0:19:31and a truck-full of rock...

0:19:31 > 0:19:33But there's one last hurdle to clear...

0:19:33 > 0:19:35Hopefully, you'll like it out here...

0:19:35 > 0:19:38..Anne-Marie's inspection.

0:19:38 > 0:19:41She's got to be happy before Rocky can move in.

0:19:41 > 0:19:45Well, I think it's amazing. He's going to be absolutely... Hah!

0:19:45 > 0:19:47Wow!

0:19:47 > 0:19:49- Not bad, Eh?- Oh!

0:19:49 > 0:19:52Rocky's going to have a field day.

0:19:52 > 0:19:56Yes. I built it with...

0:19:56 > 0:19:58..it in mind to challenge him, you know?

0:19:58 > 0:20:01Like make it a...make it a wallaby playground.

0:20:01 > 0:20:05Rocky is going to love it. You've done an amazing job.

0:20:05 > 0:20:06This is fabulous.

0:20:06 > 0:20:07Thank you.

0:20:07 > 0:20:10Yeah, no. He's got so much he can do.

0:20:10 > 0:20:11He really has.

0:20:11 > 0:20:15He will hopefully...now, his natural instincts will kick in.

0:20:15 > 0:20:18He'll come down from the top, bom, bom, bom, into his little cave.

0:20:18 > 0:20:20Yeah. He's got a lot of his natural instincts,

0:20:20 > 0:20:23but he just needs to get out in the real world like this y'know,

0:20:23 > 0:20:26like where he belongs and this is a great start for him.

0:20:26 > 0:20:28It is amazing.

0:20:28 > 0:20:30I feel good about him going.

0:20:30 > 0:20:32- Oh, good.- You know?

0:20:34 > 0:20:37Brolga's mountain has received Anne-Marie's approval.

0:20:40 > 0:20:42Soon, Rocky will have a new home.

0:20:48 > 0:20:52After a snoozy afternoon, Rex and Ruby are now wide awake,

0:20:52 > 0:20:56so Brolga decides it's time for their first night time hop.

0:20:58 > 0:21:00Kangaroos are usually active at night,

0:21:00 > 0:21:04so it's important that the joeys get used to being out after dark.

0:21:14 > 0:21:19Normally the more timid of the two, tonight, Ruby leads the way.

0:21:19 > 0:21:21CRICKETS CHIRRUP

0:21:23 > 0:21:25Rex hangs back.

0:21:30 > 0:21:32HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE

0:21:34 > 0:21:37Their eyesight is good, but their hearing is exceptional.

0:21:39 > 0:21:40So, before they go too far,

0:21:40 > 0:21:44it's important to listen out for potential predators.

0:21:44 > 0:21:46CRICKETS CHIRRUP

0:21:48 > 0:21:50Ruby decides the coast is clear.

0:22:00 > 0:22:03Rex isn't so sure

0:22:03 > 0:22:06and thinks it's safer inside with Mum.

0:22:06 > 0:22:08HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE

0:22:09 > 0:22:12Tonight, Ruby wins her first badge for bravery.

0:22:18 > 0:22:21With the joeys safely back inside,

0:22:21 > 0:22:24Brolga heads out to pick up his newest recruit.

0:22:28 > 0:22:31OK, Rocky's in here so let's do it quickly.

0:22:31 > 0:22:34Alrighty. He's having a bit of a feed.

0:22:34 > 0:22:37- Good day, old mate. - As you can see, he loves my plants.

0:22:38 > 0:22:42Even with Rocky in a confined space, capturing him

0:22:42 > 0:22:45still isn't going to be easy.

0:22:45 > 0:22:47Stay there, stay there, stay there.

0:22:47 > 0:22:48Ow!

0:22:54 > 0:22:57- Oh, here we go. Loves the clothes basket.- Does he?

0:22:57 > 0:22:59He loves everything about the house.

0:22:59 > 0:23:03Oh, mate, he is mischief all over.

0:23:03 > 0:23:07Mischief and he's actually got worse and worse.

0:23:08 > 0:23:10And he is being very destructive.

0:23:10 > 0:23:13I mean, he gets in the washing machine.

0:23:13 > 0:23:17It seems Rocky's decided that he isn't going to go quietly.

0:23:17 > 0:23:20Oh, there he goes. Ha, ha!

0:23:21 > 0:23:25Yeah, there's nothing stops him, if he wants to do it, he does it.

0:23:25 > 0:23:27- Yeah, OK.- Yeah.

0:23:27 > 0:23:28SHATTERING

0:23:28 > 0:23:31Grab his tail. Grab his tail.

0:23:31 > 0:23:32Oh! SHATTERING

0:23:33 > 0:23:36I think he's definitely outgrown your house.

0:23:36 > 0:23:38OK, darling.

0:23:38 > 0:23:41Reluctant Rocky has finally agreed to go.

0:23:44 > 0:23:47It's time for this troublesome teen to leave home.

0:23:48 > 0:23:51And this is his little wallaby.

0:23:51 > 0:23:53He had to have his own wallaby.

0:23:53 > 0:23:55So, we'll send that with him as well.

0:23:55 > 0:23:57Yeah, all right.

0:23:57 > 0:23:58All right, my darling.

0:23:58 > 0:24:00All right?

0:24:00 > 0:24:01SHE SIGHS

0:24:01 > 0:24:03It's definitely like giving away one of my babies.

0:24:05 > 0:24:08It's like he knows. He's quite happy in there.

0:24:08 > 0:24:10He's on an adventure.

0:24:10 > 0:24:14All right, let's do this because I'm getting all...

0:24:14 > 0:24:16- All right? - Thank you very much, Brolga.

0:24:16 > 0:24:18I trust you so much with this.

0:24:18 > 0:24:20And I know you will look after him.

0:24:20 > 0:24:21Yep, I will, I will.

0:24:21 > 0:24:22Bye-bye, baby.

0:24:24 > 0:24:25Thank you again, Brolga.

0:24:25 > 0:24:27No worries. See you, mate.

0:24:27 > 0:24:30See you, doll. Take care.

0:24:30 > 0:24:32- You too.- See you, Rocky!

0:24:32 > 0:24:33Oh, no.

0:24:35 > 0:24:39Wow. That was a pretty hard thing to do.

0:24:43 > 0:24:46Since he was rescued eight months ago,

0:24:46 > 0:24:48Rocky has never been away from Anne-Marie.

0:24:50 > 0:24:54Now, he's swapping her bungalow for a new home, in the bush.

0:25:03 > 0:25:06For Rocky, as for every animal here,

0:25:06 > 0:25:10arriving at Brolga's sanctuary marks the start of a new life.

0:25:12 > 0:25:15The plan is that, one day, Rocky will roam free

0:25:15 > 0:25:18in the mountain ranges of Central Australia.

0:25:22 > 0:25:24And Brolga's hoping that his mini-mountain

0:25:24 > 0:25:26will help get him there.

0:25:28 > 0:25:30It's the moment of truth.

0:25:30 > 0:25:31Hello.

0:25:31 > 0:25:33Time to see if Rocky likes his new home.

0:25:49 > 0:25:52It's an exciting day because we've finished

0:25:52 > 0:25:56and Rocky's jumping up and down like a kid in a playground.

0:25:59 > 0:26:01And that's why it's worth it.

0:26:01 > 0:26:05You can almost see in Rocky the excitement on his face.

0:26:05 > 0:26:08You can almost see his little mouth smiling at having an adventure.

0:26:14 > 0:26:16Oh, it's fantastic to see.

0:26:18 > 0:26:23I put a lot of time into getting it right, making it,

0:26:23 > 0:26:26giving him some challenges and some pitfalls

0:26:26 > 0:26:28and some little caves and crevices.

0:26:28 > 0:26:33So, to see Rocky jumping up and down like this is really exciting.

0:26:33 > 0:26:35It's so great when a plan comes together.

0:26:46 > 0:26:48He's got the skills.

0:26:48 > 0:26:51He's got the adaptions in his body,

0:26:51 > 0:26:55and just watching him bound over just now,

0:26:55 > 0:26:58climbs up them with such agility, that's just natural.

0:26:58 > 0:27:01I mean, he hasn't bounded over rocks before,

0:27:01 > 0:27:03but he just knows where to put his feet.

0:27:03 > 0:27:04It's amazing to watch.

0:27:06 > 0:27:11For Rocky, today marks his first big step on the road back to the wild.

0:27:15 > 0:27:17'At the moment, he's a baby.

0:27:17 > 0:27:20'He's been loved by Anne-Marie

0:27:20 > 0:27:24'and she's done a fantastic job getting him to where he is now.

0:27:25 > 0:27:26'Now, it's my turn to take over.'

0:27:29 > 0:27:31I want to be in the background.

0:27:31 > 0:27:33I don't want to take over from Anne-Marie.

0:27:35 > 0:27:38No more cuddling. No more handling.

0:27:38 > 0:27:41It's time for Rocky to become wild.

0:27:46 > 0:27:47That's great.

0:27:48 > 0:27:50Fair dinkum, that's beautiful.

0:27:51 > 0:27:53Next time on Kangaroo Dundee...

0:27:53 > 0:27:54DOGS BARK

0:27:54 > 0:27:57It's red alert as Brolga's mob comes under attack.

0:28:00 > 0:28:04Get away from my sanctuary. You're not welcome.

0:28:05 > 0:28:06Look at that. Oh.

0:28:06 > 0:28:08We meet a joey who's itching for a bath.

0:28:10 > 0:28:13I reckon if I looked like this I'd probably scratch a bit too.

0:28:15 > 0:28:19And Brolga gets a new set of small, furry friends.

0:28:21 > 0:28:24Inside the walls of the shack are hundreds of mice.

0:28:24 > 0:28:27I check my boots in the morning and a couple of mice come out,

0:28:27 > 0:28:29they've been housing in there during the night.