Bewildered bovine rescued from harbour

By Adrienne Francis
Mon Nov 30, 2009

A Darwin mariner says he and his crew arrived just in time to rescue a bewildered bovine from the harbour.

Ben Wall of Workboats Northern Australia says the Darwin Port Authority asked him to investigate reports of a floating steer near South Shell Island around 10am yesterday.

He says his crew found the steer, exhausted and close to drowning, swimming towards Darwin's liquefied natural gas plant at Wickham Point.

Mr Wall says it may have been treading water for up to four hours.

"When we got up really close it was aggravated and then they got a rope around it and then it sort of came out of that," he said.

"We got that off and then we finally got a life ring out just to keep its head above the water and then towed it ashore.

"Once we got it into land it was all good with our land crew there."

Mr Wall says the steer may have fallen into Darwin Harbour from East Arm Wharf while being loaded onto a live export ship bound for south-east Asia.

But the Northern Territory Live Exporters' Association says it is likely the steer was a stray.

Mr Wall says the steer may have evaded the harbour's crocodiles but its fate is certain.

"I reckon it probably might have to go and put a bit of weight on after that ordeal because it would have lost a fair bit of condition and then I don't think it will be too far off getting on a boat and over to Asia."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/30/2757588.htm