'Powerful' kangaroo attacks golfer on Gold Coast course and leaves her needing stitches

A woman who rescued a golfer under attack by a kangaroo in Australia ended up suffering a severe cut on her head after the marsupial turned on her.

Liya Chan was playing golf at the Hope Island Golf Course on the Gold Coast in Queensland when she saw a fellow golfer being attacked by a kangaroo and rushed to help him. However, the animal then attacked her, leaving Chan needing six stitches to heal deep lacerations to her head.

"I thought kangaroos are cute," she said. "I didn't realise they were so aggressive."

Chan said she had tried to kick the kangaroo away after it had attacked the other golfer, but she was surprised by how strong the marsupial was and in the end she was left defending herself with her golf club.

"The kangaroo turned on me, but I was terrified. I used the [golf] club to protect myself. I tripped over because I was so scared," she explained, adding the animal was "very powerful".

Chan, who also suffered a few scratches, was taken to the Gold Coast Private Hospital on the morning of 1 August and was subsequently released in the afternoon. The man who was first attacked by the kangaroo escaped without injuries. But Chan urged golfers to be wary of animals while on the driving range.

Her warning was echoed by Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations supervisor Bill Houghton, who said Australia had a lot of potentially dangerous animals and invited the public to remain vigilant when outdoors.

"We've got some of the most deadly animals on the planet in Australia so I just advise people to be cautious when in open spaces and be mindful of their surroundings," he added.