This rain-soaked koala sitting on a fence post in the middle of floods in South Australia has found fame after its picture landed on the front page of an Adelaide newspaper.

Plumber Russell Latter was driving between jobs in the town of Stirling on Wednesday when he saw the soggy marsupial sitting on the road, looking cold and wet.

"I stopped and guided him out of harm's way and he spotted the fence and climbed to the top like he had done it many times," said Mr Latter, who quickly snapped a photo.

"He sat on top for a few minutes and then climbed down the other side and across some shallow flood waters to a big gum tree."

The picture has since gone viral on social media after being used by The Advertiser newspaper yesterday and featured on television.

Parts of South Australia and Victoria states were flooded after heavy rain this week caused numerous rivers to swell.

Mr Latter told The Advertiser he returned to see if he could locate the koala yesterday, and found it safe and sound. "Found him snoozing in a nearby tree," he said. "Not so wet any more."

REUTERS