The Koalas Of Raymond Island Poem by Francis Duggan

On Raymond Island near Paynesville surrounded by sea
A koala they say there to every gum tree
Six hundred Koalas there at the last count
For not such a big Island that seems quite an amount.

I've been to Raymond Island on a cool Autumn day
From Paynesville by ferry five minutes away
Only wealthy people there houses can buy
And those who reside there the good life enjoy.

On gum trees by the roadway along by the sea shore
In a half a mile of road saw two hundred or more
Koalas some with their babies clinging to their back
And some slept whilst others enjoyed their leafy snack.

The manna gums for koalas are the right sort of trees
And the koalas on Raymond Island are free of disease
And the rangers keep them from over populating by relocating some elsewhere
To a place where manna gum trees are many and koalas are rare.

On Raymond Island near Paynesville koalas are not rare
I've seen more of them there than I've seen anywhere
In a half a mile walk saw two hundred or more
On gum trees by the roadway close to the sea shore.