At least three deer were spotted at North Beach in Wollongong early Thursday morning - two of them stuck on a rock platform near the pools, and one going for a jog along towards Puckeys.
Illawarra Mercury readers sent in these pictures of wild deer helping themselves to an early morning constitutional on Thursday.
But the North Wollongong beach trip ended in tragedy for at least one feral deer, which was shot after climbing the embankment to the Continental Pool.
"The deer had entered the surf at North Beach and were ushered from the water by council lifeguards on jetskis," a council spokeswoman said.
"One deer is believed to have run into nearby bushland at Puckeys Estate. Another deer climbed the embankment near to the Continental Pool.
"Due to concerns for both the animal's welfare and community safety - as the deer was alongside Cliff Rd and the Blue Mile Tramway shared pathway - the area was cordoned off to ensure public safety and the animal tranquilised onsite by an appropriately qualified contactor."
It was then killed.
Figtree's Hans Stichter was on hand to photograph the pests as they made a scene on the rocks.
"The last we saw of the deer was that two of them were [in the water] heading to New Zealand, and the third one, who knows," he said
Other witnesses reported two larger bucks stuck on a rock shelf. They swam further out to sea after people tried to help them.
It comes after their brethren were spotted in a residential street at Port Kembla last week, Warrawong the following day, and on the Northern Distributor (Memorial Drive) before that.
Can we agree that this is the point where we can say the deer problem is beyond a joke?
Wollongong City Council, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Local Land Services, take note - whatever you're doing to control feral deer is not working.
If it's not enough to keep roaming bucks off a major city's most famous and popular beach, then is anywhere safe?
