Fifty thousand Facebook followers are mourning the death of the world's oldest wombat in captivity.

One of Ballarat's best-loved attractions, Patrick the wombat, has died.

He was 31, equivalent to around 130 in human years and is believed to have been the oldest bare-nosed wombat in captivity in the world.

Ballarat Wildlife Park general manager Greg Parker, who raised the wombat after it was orphaned as a youngster, described Patrick as a great ambassador for wombats.

"He showed his placid, gentle nature right from the beginning," he said.

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Patrick was taken to a wildlife shelter after his mother was killed by a car.

"The law at the time stated that he must be released back into the wild. However, he had three attempts but was badly injured by wild wombats and so we took on the battle to get a permit so we could keep him and he could live out his life here."

Patrick displayed none of the aggression usually associated with wombats and endeared himself to park visitors by riding around in a wheelbarrow while his enclosure was being cleaned.

"He started to meet the coaches which would come from Melbourne and then he got into the brochures and he also made an appearance at the biggest wholesale tourism show in the southern hemisphere," said Mr Parker.

He once travelled down to Spring Street after being invited to Parliament House.

CNN listed Patrick as one if its "greatest city mascots" in 2014.

Mr Parker said tributes had begun pouring in from Patrick's 55,000 Facebook friends once his death was announced on social media.

"He has amazing fans around the world," Mr Parker said.

"One fellow from Germany even has a tattoo of him on his arm."

There are plans to commemorate Patrick with a statue at the park; however Mr Parker said he was yet to decide where Patrick would be buried.

"At the moment we are just dealing with his death," he said.

"There is a very sombre atmosphere here today for not only myself but for his carers, his veterinarian and all that knew him.

"I feel his loss as a member of my family."

His death comes just weeks before the launch of the latest edition of the Guinness Book of Records, which will feature him as the oldest wombat in the world.

Patrick is survived by no four-legged family, only his human family and fans.

"Wombats, being wild animals are rough and tough and they communicate by biting," Mr Parker said.

"In the wild they fight for territory or in the breeding season, however Patrick was quite an exception to the rule.

"We had a couple of goes at putting him with a female but he would start to get bitten and then he would just turn to jelly and drop down on the ground and let them bite him — he wasn't suitable for breeding.

"He was just a beautiful soul."