Buffalo
Asiatic water buffalo were first introduced into the north of Australia in the early 1800’s as a source of meat for early settlements. Of all the introduced species that have found their way to our shores, I believe the history of buffalo in the Northern Territory is by far the most intriguing. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s when buffalo were first discovered roaming wild in huge numbers across the vast wetlands of the top-end, fearless men seeking adventure, took up the challenge and shot thousands upon thousands for their hides.
Grasping an old heavy calibre rifle in their outstretched hand while galloping hell for leather on horseback across broken ground in pursuit of fleeing buffalo, the hunters constantly risked both life and limb as they endeavoured to despatch each rampaging beast with a fatal shot to the spine.
Years later, history again repeated itself; this time round, the buffalo were both shot for their meat and captured live by men just as daring, however instead of using horses, this time they tore across the rough and broken ground in modified four-wheel drive vehicles, commonly referred to in the top-end as bull catchers. Many of these weird looking contraptions were fitted with a robotic arm, which could reach out and grab hold of the neck of an enraged buffalo whilst it was making a mad dash for safety.
The Northern Territory has long been referred to as Australia’s last frontier. Still today, this is true, as anyone that travels to the top-end to hunt buffalo soon come to realise, the country is untamed, the buffalo are as wild as ever and the true-blue characters who have it in their blood to hunt them, are rearing and ready to go.