We had no idea a single buffalo could cause so much damage.
A stampeding buffalo has caused thousands of dollars worth of damage to a Northern Territory sporting club.

Gove Peninsula Tennis Club manager Nicky Mayer got a shock when she arrived at work this week and saw the state of the club's wire fence, according to reports in the Northern Territory News.

"I had to pinch myself," she said.

"I thought, 'Have I just slept through a cyclone'?"

On closer inspection she found two very large holes - one entering the courts and another exiting.

A man who had slept the night in the long-grass near the club, at Nhulunbuy, 600km east of Darwin, told her the full story.

"He said that about midnight a buffalo had chased a couple of girls in the car park of the church," she said.

"It must have got spooked because it turned around and bolted at the courts.

"It has gone in one side and across our three courts and hit the fence on the other side.

"It couldn't get out there, so it has run along the fence and come out in the corner."

Ms Mayer said police called to the scene told her buffaloes were on the move in the town.

"They said they'd found a dog killed on the beach last week and that the buffaloes were in town looking for water because there was no water out bush. It is starting to dry up already."

The buffalo is still at large.

Ms Mayer said 120 of the town's children use the courts each week to play tennis and money was now desperately needed to fix the fence.

Luckily there was no damage done to the courts.

"He just left his muddy hoof prints,"' Ms Mayer said.

The NT's regional development officer has lived at Nhulunbuy for 18 years couldn't recall anything like this happening before.

 The whole episode gives new meaning to the Buffalo Club at Mt Isa, a sports club which is very popular but which, as yet, does not have any live buffalo running through the premises.

For all your Australian accommodation try http://www.stay247.com/
More Days of Discount Stays, last minute and up to 4 months out!