Bull Swept 80kms Down River Heralded As A 'Legend'

A young bull has survived being swept away during the recent Buller floods in New Zealand.

The animal was washed away from a paddock above Maruia Falls and was swept 80 kilometres downstream.

Maruia farmer Tony Peacock said the Hereford bull's journey had likely included being swept into the Maruia River, over the 10-metre-high Maruia Falls, the river's coming together with the Buller River, and an adventure going under O'Sullivan's Bridge.

Somehow it also avoided being swept out to sea at the river mouth.

The cow, whose ear is tagged, was then found alive and well on the edge of a farm in Westport.

"It's a fairly long trip and amazing he survived," Peacock told the Otago Daily Times.

"I was quite happy when I got the call he was alive. I think he will get legend status now and be put in a paddock to retire with some cows."

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He also noted that other animals and their owners had been far less fortunate throughout the region's February floods.

One neighbour, he said, lost 74 cows in the flood.

"The July flood was supposed to be a one-in-100 year event," he said.

"This was three to four feet higher. It's the highest I've ever seen on my place.

"They forecast 60mm and I tipped out over 160mm from the rain gauge the next morning."

Earlier this month, a state of emergency was declared in Buller and people were forced to evacuate.

New Zealand also experienced flooding in July last year across the Buller district (on the west coast), the Tasman District and the Marlborough Region on the South Island.

Auckland was then ravaged by floods in August and September.