This is an original story that tells the tale of a non-binary koala who escaped the Queensland bushfires to go on an epic journey in a strange land to find their mum. It covers bravery, persistence and educates on some of the animals and scenery in the local area.
Everybody knows that Koalas don’t live in the Kimberley. Blue-Tongue Lizards live in the Kimberley. Crocodiles live in the Kimberley. As well as Magnificent Tree Frogs, Kimberley Rock Rats, Rainbow Bea-Eaters, King Brown Snakes and Brown Boobies.
But Koalas don’t live in the Kimberley. Koalas live on the East Coast of Australia. Everybody knows that.
Or do they?
Kel was just a kid when the bush fires took away their home. All the koalas had to move on as red fires blazed through the trees and black smoke polluted the air. It was a terrible time. The animals, the birds and the humans were scared. They had nowhere to go.
When the red fire had stopped, most of the trees were gone and the remaining black stumps continued smoking. Kel looked around for their mum but couldn’t find her anywhere.
"Have you seen my mum?” Kel asked everyone. But no-one had. Kel felt sad and sat down at the side of the road. Just then, a truck pulled up with a large sign on the side, 'Kimberley Removals'.
"That’s it! That's where they’ve taken my mum, they removed her from the fires. She’s alive and I’m going to find her”.
Noticing that the back door of the truck was open, Kel climbed inside and hid underneath a blanket. It was warm and cosy and Kel fell asleep with the movement of the truck.
When the truck stopped, Kel moved from the hiding place into a wide open space surrounded tall red cliffs along an enormous river.
"Oi there!" said a long brown lizard sitting under the shade of a large rock. ‘You’re not from around here, are you?’.
“G’day” replied Kel, “I’m looking for my mum. Have you seen her? I lost her in the fires and I think she’s been brought here. Her name is Kimberly”.
“Haaaa. So you think you’ll find her here do you?" He took a closer look at Kel and continued.
"A Koala in the Kimberley, called Kimberly" Haaahaa, you're having a laugh”.
"Well no... I wasn't" said Kel, feeling a little hurt.
"Well, I never. I haven’t seen any koalas around these parts. Don’t you know, Koala’s don’t live in the Kimberley, Blue-Tongue Lizards live in the Kimberley" he laughed again sticking out his bright blue tongue to catch a passing cricket. "Head to the river and ask the old crocodile, she knows everything.”
So Kel continued the journey and walked towards the river to find the old wise croc. Along the way, through the undergrowth of rocky cliffs, Kel heard the sound of frogs talking to each other.
"Crawk Crawk Crawk".
"G'day” said one of the Magnificent Tree Frogs looking down at Kel, jumping to get a closer look.
“G’day” replied Kel, “I’m looking for my mum. Have you seen her? I lost her in the fires. Her name is Kimberly”.
The Magnificent Tree Frogs laughed majestically.
“You're looking for a koala in the Kimberley called Kimberly? Haaa! Don't you know that koalas don't live in the Kimberley, Magnificent Tree Frogs live in the Kimberley.”
A black-eyed rodent with a thick long tail and large ears poked its head out from under a rock.
"Kimberley Rock Rats live in the Kimberley too. I haven’t seen any koalas around here. You’ll need to go down to the river and ask the old croc”.
“But, be careful, she bites”, said the rock rat running back into the dark rocky crevice”.
“Thanks” said Kel before continuing the journey. “I will find my mum, you just watch”.
Kel walked determindley along the river, past tall red cliffs and spectacular waterfalls, eventually arriving at a waterhole. As the sun shone down, a bright green Rainbow Bee-Eater flew by with an insect in his mouth.
“G’day” she called out flying off into the trees.
At the waterhole, Kel climbed up a nearby tree and spotted the wise old croc resting in the murky water with her eyes poking out.
“G’day” said Kel nervously climbing a little higher, closely watching the croc.
“The animals told me to come and find you. They all said that you were the wisest and would be able to help me”.
“Did they now” said the old croc opening her mouth to a satisfied smile. “I am indeed. Now how can I help you, you seem a little lost, come a little closer why don’t you?”
Kel decided not to go a little closer but told the wise old croc the story.
“I am lost and I lost my mum. I came here to find her after the red fires. Please wise old croc, tell me, have you seen her? She’s called Kimberly.”
“Ah yes, a koala in the Kimberley called Kimberly, I had heard about that. I haven’t seen her but I heard a noisy brown booby talking about her when she was flying over. Follow your nose along the river and head towards the white gum trees.”
Kel thanked the old croc and wearily continued the journey along the sandy path by the river. In the distance, Kel could see the Kimberley white gums.
“Just keep going. Just keep going." Kel didn't want to give up.
But Kel was tired and stopped at a spectacular waterfall to take a break, watching the water tumble over the top of the tall cliffs.
It was then that Kel spotted another koala walking towards the waterfall. “Mum, Mum, Mum… is that you Mum?” The Koala turned around and started moving towards Kel.
“Kel, Kel.”
“Oh Kel, it IS you, I’ve been so worried about you. I took shelter from the red flames and ended up all the way over here”.
Kel snuggled up close and she whispered “Come on let’s go home, we’ll need to find a new one but we’re together now and that always feels like home”.
“I love you Mum” said Kel smiling, feeling safe and happy watching a king brown snake slither off into the distance.
The Kimberley is a place of many surprises.
Would you like to visit?
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We did a lot of research for this story into the place and the animals, their temperament and habitat to create an educational entertaining children's story.
Australian Tourism Site, a fabulous site which shows some of the animals in the Kimberley.
Information on the brown booby from the Australian Geographic.
Resource for writing non-binary pronouns
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Find out more about the mother and son duo who wrote this story for sharing with you on Kids Dream Stories.
Read other free children's stories on Kids Dream Stories.
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