Perched on the iron gate at the entrance to Crazy Acres, the bird's bright red-ringed eyes and spectacular display of wing waving is impressive but just a tad intimidating.

Found alone in the middle of a country road, Bruce was taken to a veterinarian who contacted wildlife rescuer Leonie Daley.

Mrs Daley, a volunteer with the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES), has cared for the much-loved fledgling ever since.

WIRES volunteers are trained to look after injured and orphaned native animals like Bruce.

"He's just beautiful and friendly and looks a bit scary but really he's a great companion," Mrs Daley says.

"He follows me all around the place."

Last year Mrs Daley looked after a mob of orphaned joeys and at the moment, her house is home to three goannas, including one recovering from the effects of an infected mouth.

The former Lavington resident and husband Bill moved to the 25-hectare Walbundrie property 15 years ago.

The couple, who live at Crazy Acres with their daughter, Toni, 17, have no regrets about their relocation to an "awesome" property "where nobody could build next to us".

"It's just gorgeous out here," Mrs Daley says.

"People are just so awesome; they're so kind.

"The whole community is here for you.

"The school is great and the Co-op -- they know everyone and it's, 'Hello everybody', and they cheek you and you cheek them back, and the pub's the same.

"Everybody knows everybody."

Toni, a year 12 student at Culcairn's Billabong High School, couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

"I don't have to worry about crossing the roads with my horses," she says.

"The township and the people are great, they help everyone whenever they need help.

"And the shop is run by locals so we know them, and so's the pub, and they're just generally nice people."