Possums can be added to the Write Australian novel for local colour and sometimes for humorous effect. Wombats are large, solid, tough creatures that look a little like a cross between a bear and a wild pig. They have greyish brown hair, and can be almost a metre in length and weigh about 40 kilos. They are indefatigable diggers, and burrow under fences and walls with enormous aplomb. Their blunt, good-natured faces with small ears and mild eyes make them quite popular with anyone not responsible for repairing the damage their burrows can do.
Wombats thrive in the bush and sometimes come into pasture land.
They are nocturnal, and like kangaroos, they sometimes try to cross highways and other roads at night which can lead to accidents. The wombat appears in a series of books by Ruth Park about a character known as the Muddleheaded Wombat. The Tasmanian Devil is around the size of a small terrier. As its name implies, it is found in the island state of Tasmania. The devil is a carnivore and scavenger with a very powerful set of jaws.