Lulu Bell and the Koala Joey by Belinda Murrell Page B

the stairs. The dogs’ claws clicked on the timber floor. The parents followed, carrying bags and towels.
    Suddenly Lulu heard a strange noise from outside. It was a roaring, thundering, grinding sound.
    â€˜What’s that terrible racket?’ asked Rosie.
    â€˜It’s coming from out the front,’ said Zac. ‘It sounds like a –’
    Lulu opened the front door wide.
    â€˜Bulldozer,’ shouted Gus. ‘Big yellow bulldozer.’
    Lulu wrinkled her nose. ‘What on earth is a bulldozer doing here?’ she asked.

Chapter 3
The Bulldozer
    The bulldozer drove past the front of the house. It trundled along on a rolling track. Puffs of grey dust billowed up from the road. The driver waved at them as he passed. The kids waved back.

    The bulldozer slowed down then pulled to the side in front of the bushland next door.
    â€˜What’s he doing?’ asked Mum. She frowned and put down the beach bag she was carrying.
    â€˜There’s Mr O’Connor,’ said Peter. ‘Let’s ask him if he knows.’
    Old Mr O’Connor lived alone in the house next door. He was the owner of the beach house they stayed in. He had owned the land along the beachfront for decades. Lulu was a little afraid of him. He was sometimes a bit grouchy about noisy children and lost balls.
    Mr O’Connor was holding up several large pieces of paper. He was talking to another man who was wearing a hard hat.

    Mr O’Connor pointed at the plans drawn on his papers then waved towards the trees.
    â€˜I don’t like the look of that,’ said Dad. He leaned the surfboards against the wall.
    Dad walked over to the two men.
    â€˜Good morning, Mr O’Connor,’ said Dad. ‘How are you?’
    Mr O’Connor looked cross. His face was furrowed by a frown.
    â€˜Better make sure those children stay away,’ he said. ‘The bulldozer will be working here for the next few days. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.’
    â€˜Are you knocking down the trees?’ asked Alison.
    Mr O’Connor shrugged. ‘I’m selling these three blocks of land for new houses,’ he said. ‘The real estate agent says there are lots of people wanting to build houses here now.’
    â€˜Oh, no,’ said Lulu. ‘What about the animals that live there? What about the kangaroos and the koalas?’
    Mr O’Connor harrumphed. ‘They’ll be all right. Besides, I haven’t seen any koalas here for a long time.’
    Lulu felt a lump in her throat.She didn’t want the bush to be cleared. She didn’t want Tarni Beach to change. Lulu scuffed her shoe in the dirt.
    â€˜Well, if you’ll excuse us,’ said Mr O’Connor. ‘The men have to get to work. I want every tree gone by the end of the week.’
    Lulu looked at Mr O’Connor in horror. ‘But you can’t …’ she began.
    Mum put her arms on Lulu’s shoulders.

    â€˜Come on, honey bun,’ said Mum. ‘Let’s go to the beach.’
    The driver started up the engine again. The bulldozer roared into life. Asha put her tail between her legs. She didn’t like the loud noise.
    â€˜Brooom,’ roared Gus.
    The two families went back to the house to collect all their gear. Lulu picked up her new pink surfboard. She carried it under her arm as she trudged across the lawn and up over the sand dune.
    Lulu stopped at the top of the rise and looked down. Foamy white waves curled and crashed on the sand. The empty beach stretched away to the south. To the north was the soaring headland of Tarni Rocks. Lulu felt her sad mood evaporate.
    â€˜Come on, everyone,’ called Lulu. She charged down the sand dune, carrying her surfboard. ‘Hurry up.’

    Asha and Jessie bounded down the sand dune, kicking up fine sand with their paws. All the kids raced after them.

Chapter 4
First Surfing Lesson
    It was a ten-minute walk up the beach. Or, for the kids and