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Geraldton: Stray goose keeping mine site workers entertained

Headshot of Adam Poulsen
Adam PoulsenThe West Australian
Graham the Goose deters would-be intruders from entering the AFGRI Equipment yard in Utakarra.
Camera IconGraham the Goose deters would-be intruders from entering the AFGRI Equipment yard in Utakarra. Credit: Adam Poulsen

Stray dogs are a common sight in Geraldton. Stray geese, less so.

Waggrakine resident Sharlene Fenner was surprised to find a goose on the loose when she arrived at work at AFGRI Equipment in Utakarra two weeks ago.

Ms Fenner, 49, said the mischievous bird “just showed up one morning” and kept coming back.

“He was walking around the yard, inspecting everything, and would come out to the front lawn for little naps in the sun,” she said.

Graham the Goose deters would-be intruders from entering the AFGRI Equipment yard in Utakarra.
Camera IconGraham the Goose deters would-be intruders from entering the AFGRI Equipment yard in Utakarra. Credit: Adam Poulsen

“We put out some bread and he pecked at that a bit, then he’d walk around the machinery all day. He was like a security guard.”

Ms Fenner and her workmates named the bird Graham after their manager, whose nickname happens to be “Goose”.

Suspecting Graham to be someone’s pet, she took to a lost and found pets page on Facebook in a bid to track down his owner. No owner came forward, but Graham found a new home after some close calls while trying to cross the road.

Graham the Goose deters would-be intruders from entering the AFGRI Equipment yard in Utakarra.
Camera IconGraham the Goose deters would-be intruders from entering the AFGRI Equipment yard in Utakarra. Credit: Adam Poulsen

“After I left on Wednesday, there was a little girl who turned up with her dad, and they were so excited about this goose,” Ms Fenner said.

“My workmate said ‘well, if you can catch it you can take it, because we don’t know who it belongs to’.

“They chased Graham all over the yard and then eventually left with him sitting in the back seat of their car.

“They said they had a 1.2ha plot and were going to take him home.”

But yesterday afternoon, Ms Fenner reported Graham had flown the coup and returned to his favourite machinery business.

Onya, Graham.

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