A woman who came to the rescue of a fellow golfer being attacked by a kangaroo at Hope Island Golf Course on the Gold Coast ended up on the receiving end early on Tuesday morning.
Liya Chan was hospitalised with deep lacerations to her head which required six stitches after the marsupial turned on her in an attack she described as "shocking".
"I thought kangaroos are cute. I didn't realise they were so aggressive," Ms Chan said.
Ms Chan said she tried to kick the kangaroo away after it attacked the man but it was "very powerful", and left her with scratches on her head and body.
"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," Ms Chan said.
The man initially targeted by the animal escaped without injury.
Ms Chan, an avid golfer, said the kangaroo had a baby and was being "protective" of its young when it attacked.
She warned golfers to be wary of the animals when on the driving range.
Ms Chan was released from the Gold Coast Private Hospital on Tuesday afternoon and was a stable condition recovering at her home.
Queensland Ambulance Service Senior operations supervisor Bill Houghton also encouraged the public to remain vigilant when enjoying Australia's 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 said.
