Wombats also feature in Patrick O'Brian's naval novels, where Stephen Maturin, much to the irritation of Jack Aubry, carries a hold-full of them back towards Britain, but has to off-load them at Cape Town, for reasons. They are mentioned in several of the books in the series which, as it happens, I am currently rereading.
I don't know what to say about this, but it's fucking awesome. Read it.