Tourist left bruised after being charged twice by wild buffalo
Two young tourists say they've never been more scared in their lives after 21-year-old Victorian woman Emma Hipwell was charged by a wild buffalo while holidaying in the Northern Territory.
A Victorian woman, Emma Hipwell, 21, was injured during a recent encounter with a wild buffalo in Nitmiluk National Park, located 300km south of Darwin. The incident occurred on Monday when Hipwell and her partner, Hattie Frdelja, were hiking the trail to Butterfly Gorge. The buffalo charged at the couple twice, and Frdelja described the experience as "just bad timing."
Both women sustained bruising and scratches from the encounter. NT Parks and Wildlife officials advised hikers to remain calm and back away slowly if they encounter a feral buffalo, which can weigh up to 1,200 kilograms and are abundant in the area. In 2023, a 73-year-old man was hospitalized after being gored by a buffalo near Borroloola.
Authorities manage the buffalo population through annual aerial removal programs, with nearly 350 animals removed from Nitmiluk in May.
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