Most of us have a memory attached to local animals of notability or notoriety.
My first celebrity animal spotting was of Horse – a Shetland pony who calls Sydney’s Summer Hill home – out on a bike ride with his owner, Eric Findlay.
Horse was the subject of an intense feud, with neighbours trying to have him removed from the inner-west suburb because of flies and the smell of manure. (Spoiler alert: Horse was allowed to stay and has been living in Summer Hill for about 20 years.)
someone taking their tiny horse for a bike ride through inner city streets pic.twitter.com/yeG258wclq
— Rafqa Touma (@At_Raf_) March 8, 2023
And it’s not only creatures on land that become the subject of adoration.
Bluey, the groper at Clovelly Bay, was so loved for befriending snorkellers that when he was rumoured to have been “murdered” by a fisher in 2002, the then New South Wales premier, Bob Carr, announced: “I have swum with him. I know the groper, he was a friend of mine.” Carr then opened five new aquatic reserves along Sydney beaches to protect marine life.
Mr Fabulous, the giant cuttlefish dubbed “king of Cabbage Tree Bay”, enthralled visitors to the small Sydney marine reserve with his flamboyant, flashing rainbow tentacles. When his corpse was found after being attacked by another ocean animal, social media erupted.
And we cannot forget Sweetheart, the Northern Territory’s most famous crocodile. In 1979, the 40-year-old saltwater croc stalked fishers in dinghies at a popular fishing spot in Darwin. He was captured by wildlife rangers but died during relocation. The Museum and Art Gallery of the NT has his stuffed corpse on display.
What memories do you have of local animal celebrities? We want to hear them all.
Get in touch with your pictures and stories using the form below, by tweeting me, @At_Raf_, or emailing australia@theguardian.com.
Share your experience
You can tell us about your famous animal encounters using the form below.
Please share your story if you are 18 or over, anonymously if you wish. For more information please see our terms of service and privacy policy.
