A baby lamb that became an internet sensation during the pandemic has died

Wally the lamb weighed just 900 grams and was the size of a can of Coke when farmer Ben Pohlner and his wife Sarah found him in the grass at their farm at Warrnambool in south-west Victoria in August 2021.

"Wally lived the life of no other sheep; he would get a crate of strawberries to eat regularly. You've got a sheep living in 'sheep-opia'," Mr Pohlner said.

"He couldn't have had a better life, he really couldn't."

Other farmers told the family Wally had almost no chance of survival.

Ben credits the tiny lamb's survival to his wife, Sarah.

"My wife, being a midwife, just went, there is no way we are doing this (put Wally down)," he said.

Together with their children, Georgia, Abby and Hannah, the Pohlners looked after Wally with round-the-clock care.

Mr Pohlner started posting photos and videos of Wally to the family farm's Facebook page and he could never have imagined what happened next.

"He became a celebrity," he said.

"Next thing you know, we went on all the different breakfast TV shows."

Not only did he cheer up the nation, but he was also a part of the Pohlner family.

"He was very much part of our family, especially during COVID times," Mr Pohlner said. Wally died on August 7.

The Warrnambool Standard last checked in with Wally in August 2024, when Mr Pohlner said Wally was enjoying retirement and keeping the grass short with a friend and fellow sheep, Neil.