As temperatures around the south-west began to soar, Glenda Hirth and Paul Moroney from Crows Foot Pottery spotted the thirsty marsupial from their kitchen window.

The koala made its way onto the diving board, sitting on the edge.

They walked over to the swimming hole to get a closer look and Mr Moroney shot the photos using a long-range lens.

“They are beautiful photos,” Ms Hirth said.

“It was just amazing. Too good to miss.”

The koala stayed on the edge of the diving board before making its way down to the water’s edge for a drink.

Ms Hirth said she had seen koalas swimming before.

“I thought he was going to hop in the water, but he didn’t,” she said. 

Ms Hirth said the koala looked like a young male.

She said all Panmure residents would have an interesting koala story to share.

“We see a lot of wildlife out here,” she said.

“There has been a koala in the pottery and another in the toilet.”

The koala had good reason to feel the heat with temperatures hitting 40.9 degrees in Mortlake, 39.9 in Hamilton, 39 in Warrnambool, 36.9 in Colac and Portland 36.3 while Port Fairy residents enjoyed a cooler 26.4 maximum.

rhoulihan@fairfaxmedia.com.au