Buffalo horn injures man, 73, in wild camping attack

A 73-year-old man has shared his story after being charged and injured by a wild water buffalo while camping. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

A South Australian camper has always considered the Territory’s buffalo to be a “magnificent animal” but never dreamt of coming eye-to-eye with one.

Gordon Sargeant has frequented the fishing and camping sites of King Ash Bay since 2015 and often watched the beasts drinking from the river.

But his survival instincts kicked in when a wild buffalo charged him and two friends on Saturday.

Water buffalo are a pest in the Top End's northern flood plains.

He suffered extensive bruising to his legs and his right buttock was punctured.

“We heard a bit of a noise, it sounded like horses galloping,” he said.

WARNING GRAPHIC: Use the slider above to unblur the image of South Australian man Gordon Sargeant’s buffalo injury. Pictures: Supplied

South Australian man Gordon Sargeant, 73 , got a rude shock when he was injured by a charging buffalo while camping in the NT. , The wild beast’s horn penetrated the man’s right buttock before emerging on the other side. Picture: Supplied

“It was actually a buffalo as we know now.

“It came from behind, straight past us and then … he just put his head down and – all in one motion – just charged us.

“It was bang, bang, bang.”

Mr Sargeant said the friend to his right got bruised, and the friend on his left was scratched.

“I got the brunt of it.”

The 73-year-old said he held onto the beast’s horns while the animal’s head was near him.

Gordon Sargeant, 73, was speared in the bum by a buffalo at King Ash Bay near Borroloola on Saturday, July 15, 2023. Picture: Contributed/Facebook

The alleged offending water buffalo pictured before it attacked South Australian camper Gordon Sargeant. Picture: Supplied

“I was face-to-face with him, he was right against me,” he said.

“I just held onto his horns so that’s whatever he did with his head, I kept away to keep my stomach away from him, because that’s what they go for.”

Mr Sargeant said his admiration for the magnificent animals had not changed since the incident.

He said he was incredibly thankful for the support he had received from the community, the quick action of CareFlight and the quality treatment of Royal Darwin Hospital.

Mr Sargeant said his camping equipment remained in King Ash Bay and he would collect it in August.