Tourists attacked by feral buffalo on trail to Butterfly Gorge in Northern Territory
Quick Look
- Two 21-year-old tourists from Victoria were attacked by a feral buffalo while hiking the 13-kilometre trail to Butterfly Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park, Northern Territory.
- The buffalo pushed one tourist over before fleeing, leaving her with bruises and scratches.
- Other hikers assisted the pair, who plan to continue their Australia tour after recovering in Katherine.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Northern Territory has hundreds of thousands of feral buffalo, which can weigh up to 1,200 kilograms, concentrated mostly in wetland areas of the Top End. In 2023, a 73-year-old man was hospitalised after being gored by a buffalo near Borroloola on the Gulf of Carpentaria. NT Parks and Wildlife manages buffalo through annual aerial removal programs, with almost 350 removed from Nitmiluk in May.
Two tourists from Victoria say they had the fright of their lives this week, when they were attacked by a buffalo at a gorge near the outback Northern Territory town of Katherine.
Hattie Frdelja and Emma Hipwell, both 21, were walking the 13-kilometre trail to Butterfly Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park, 300km south of Darwin, on Monday when they came face to face with a feral buffalo.
"[It was] literally just right in front of us, maybe five or 10 metres away," Ms Frdelja said.
The couple said they froze after seeing the buffalo and then heard warning shouts from other hikers further down the track.
"I looked at him and could tell in his eyes that he was definitely happy to have a go," Ms Hipwell said.
Ms Frdelja said the buffalo then "pushed her [Ms Hipwell] over" before running away.
"We just screamed and screamed and yelled 'Help! Help!'"
Ms Frdelja said the other nearby hikers, who had already managed to escape the buffalo, came to the couple's aid.
"The people down the track were so lovely and ran straight up, and they said the buffalo had actually charged at them as well but they ran down the gorge," she said.
Ms Hipwell described the encounter in an enclosed area leading into the gorge as a case of "just bad timing".
"If we were further up I reckon he would've just picked a side and we would've moved, or if we were further down we would've been able to outrun him," she said.
"He was already spooked and we were in his way — he had nowhere to go, we had nowhere to go, so he just went straight for Em," Ms Frdelja added.
Ms Hipwell said she was left with bruising and scratches down both sides of her hips and legs.
"It didn't tickle," she said.
Ms Frdelja said the pair would now continue their three-month tour of Australia after taking a break to recover from the ordeal in Katherine.
The Northern Territory has hundreds of thousands of feral buffalo, which can weigh up to 1,200 kilograms, concentrated mostly in wetland areas of the Top End.
In 2023, a 73-year-old man was hospitalised after being gored by a buffalo near Borroloola on the Gulf of Carpentaria.
An NT Parks and Wildlife spokesperson said buffalo were managed through annual aerial removal programs, with almost 350 of the animals removed from Nitmiluk in May.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
NT Parks and Wildlife will review safety warnings for hikers in Nitmiluk National Park following this incident.
Possible · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific measures are in place to warn hikers about feral buffalo in Nitmiluk National Park?
- Are there plans to increase aerial removal programs following this incident?