World famous wombat dies

Patrick the world famous wombat has died after a sudden decline in his health forced Ballarat Wildlife Park staff to put the marsupial to sleep.

The 31-year-old bare-nosed wombat had a global following with his Facebook page attracting more than 55,000 friends from the US, Spain, Russia, France, Germany and elsewhere.

The gentle marsupial used to be taken out to greet visitors in a blue-wheelbarrow.

Followers on Facebook remembered his buck-toothed grin from the barrow.

"Make sure the wheelbarrow is part of the memorial please!" Andrew Jaunay wrote on Patrick's page.

"It's amazing how long he was with us, since the age of the mullet (hair)! ," Mike Quirke wrote on Facebook.

"Beautiful smile... we miss you buddy!" Abdel Zakaria wrote.

Patrick was orphaned after his mother was hit by a car in 1987.

Ballarat Wildlife Park adopted Patrick after an attempt at releasing him into the wild ended with the other wombats beating him up.

"He was such a gentleman," Ballarat Wildlife Park spokeswoman Julie Leonard told AAP.

The wildlife park is planning to build a permanent memorial in honour of Patrick, who was nicknamed Paddy Cake.

At 31, Patrick was the oldest bare-nosed wombat to have survived in captivity in Australia.