Patrick the Wombat, who lives at Ballarat Wildlife Park, is back in his famous wheelbarrow to represent the city after a post about his habit went viral at the weekend.
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Named by CNN's travel section as one of the world's 'eight greatest city mascots', his contemporaries included the now-deceased Knut the polar bear from Berlin Zoo, and a cat that runs a train station in Japan.
Wildlife Park managing director Greg Parker said Patrick had come a long way since he was found on the roadside in 1986.
"He was a rascal then. Once he was in the car and climbed over to the driver's side, putting the car in gear and drove it through the neighbour's fence. I put in 'Patrick the wombat' as the driver in the insurance claim, and the insurance company thought it was the funniest claim they'd ever heard," Mr Parker said.
Mr Parker said Patrick still drew a crowd, even though he didn't ride around in his trademark wheelbarrow as much any more.
He will turn 28 next month, making him the world's oldest known bare-nosed wombat.
Source: The Courier
