Australia’s oldest man knits sweaters for penguins

Phillip Island local, 109 year-old Alfred Date, has taken a shine to the island’s iconic birdlife by yarnbombing them into the cuteness stratosphere.

Unlike most sweaters, these are “not a fashion statement” but serve the practical purpose of preventing the penguins from swallowing oil as they preen themselves. The sweaters were made at the request of the Phillip Island Penguin Foundation after an oil spill injured around 100 of the waddling sardine lovers.

Inspired by Date’s work, knitters from all over the world have been sending in penguin-sized sweaters to the point that the Foundation “no longer need any more donations”.

How Mr Date gets the sweaters onto the penguins remains a mystery.

Words by Simon Toppin