Meet Sissy: A True Local

& the Group that is Saving Her Kind

By Linda Forrester

Not long ago, I had the pleasure of visiting Kerry Aspland at her home in the Whitsundays. Kerry’s the president of Fauna Rescue Whitsundays, and if anyone knows the world of joeys, it’s her. When I arrived, she introduced me to a tiny, energetic bundle named Sissy—a six-month-old Proserpine Rock-Wallaby joey, only about 20cm tall, with bright eyes and a personality much bigger than her size.

Now, Sissy isn’t just any wallaby. She belongs to a species that’s found only here in the Whitsundays. That’s right—the Proserpine Rock-Wallaby (Petrogale persephone) doesn’t live anywhere else in the world. And they’re not just rare in the wild—they’re rarely seen in care either. In the past ten years, Kerry’s only had one come into care from the wild. The rest, like Sissy, have all come from Hayman Island, where a breeding program once aimed to bring their numbers back to the mainland. Unfortunately, that program lost its funding, and the wallabies are now left stranded.

These little marsupials are as unique in appearance as they are in story. They’re medium-sized, with the males weighing between 4.3 and 10 kilos, and females a little lighter. Their fur is a dark grey with a mauve tinge—softened by flecks of white hairs. They have pale grey bands across their faces, cream stripes along their lips, and tails that are long and mostly black, with a reddish base and a creamy white tip. Their forearms and lower legs are orange-brown, while their paws and the backs of their ears are jet black. Honestly, they look like they've been painted with a very thoughtful brush.

These wallabies are shy, fast, and built for rocky terrain—living in steep escarpments and forested outcrops where their colours blend perfectly with stone and shadow. They don’t “click” like some might expect—they hiss to communicate and when they’re startled, they scatter and practically vanish across the rocks.

Sissy, though, is still in her early stages, and caring for her is no small feat. Wallabies like her go through four different formulas before they’re weaned, and each one is tailored to their age and species. These aren’t cheap, either. From birth, a wallaby is just the size of a jelly bean. The mother licks a path to the pouch, and the joey climbs up to latch onto one of two teats. Here’s the amazing bit—mum can actually feed two joeys at once, each with a completely different formula. Their design is incredible. Sissy was just starting to get some fur when she was brought to Kerry for care.

At around four months, they start eating… dirt. Yes—dirt! It helps prepare their stomach for roots, flowers, leaves, and whatever else they’ll find in the wild. Sissy is just 300 grams right now, but she’s already a handful. One day, Kerry couldn’t find one of her wallabies—until she looked up and saw her perched on top of the air conditioner!

Wallabies like Sissy stay with their carers until they’re around 12 or 13 months old. Then comes the “soft release”—Kerry eases them into the wild with a bit of support. Sweet potato is often the last goodbye. Over time, they stop coming back, and that’s when Kerry knows she’s done her job well. So far, she’s released five locally into safe bushland on the mainland where there are few predators and plenty of rocky shelter.

But none of this is easy. It takes time, dedication, and money. Kerry’s enclosures need to be snake-proof, the formulas cost a small fortune, and there’s always more demand than funding. She’s applying for grants, but community support makes a real difference too. Right now, Fauna Rescue Whitsundays needs more carers, more volunteers, and more hands to answer the wildlife hotline.

If you’re coming along to the Proserpine Rock Wallaby Festival, pop by the Fauna Rescue trailer at the markets. You’ll be able to learn more about Sissy and her kind, see what goes into their care, and maybe even find your place in the bigger picture.

Because while Sissy might be tiny, she represents something so much bigger—hope, care, and the special part we all have to play in looking after the incredible creatures that share our backyard.

Thank you for caring for me!!!