Before heading out of the house last Sunday, Jacqui Arnfield of Anna Bay noticed a koala wandering by the back patio of her neighbour's home.

She suspected the unknowing intruder must have gained access to the yard via a large gum tree which sits just inside her boundary.

"I have lived here for 10 to 12 years and have never seen anything like it," Mrs Arnfield said.

She thought it might have ventured across from nearby Anna Bay Public School, where her children said they see a lot of koalas in their natural habitat.

"I just thought it very interesting, we have a gum tree in our yard so it might have come down from there."

The koala made good use of the morning sun as it climbed the outdoor furniture and took time to peek in through the home's windows.

The animal was retrieved by the Port's koala preservation society and released back into the wild.