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Bernard, and a horrorbull dilemna

Posted on August 3, 2011

BERNARD the 800 kilogram Bull is probably wondering what all the fuss is about.

Since a plea went out from the Birchip Cropping Group earlier this week for someone to rescue the 800 kilogram beast from a small island that’s been his home since January, Australia’s media outlets have been beating a path to central Victoria.

Bernard the Bull

Bernard has made headlines in Melbourne, featured on ABC radio and television, regional and metropolitan newspapers around Australia, and on Channel Seven news in Melbourne…but that was one story that was lucky to get to air.

Bernard’s owner, Miner’s Rest and Donald farmer Graeme Hodge, told the Mildura Weekly of a punt trip on Wednesday across Lake Buloke, ferrying a camera crew to the island, that ended with him – and the crew and their equipment – in the drink when the boat capsized!

“And I can’t swim,” the 58-year-old said yesterday. “We had been out to the island to film Bernard, and were on our way back in two punts when the front of mine went under a wave, we took on water and the boat flipped. Lucky we were all wearing life jackets!”

Thankfully, the other punt wasn’t far away, and in two trips managed to ferry Graeme and the drenched news-hounds to safety before returning to tow the upturned punt to where it could be righted, and drained.

Four-year-old Bernard was stranded on a four-acre ‘island’ when torrential January rains turned half of Graeme’s 4800-acre property into an inland lake, almost two metres deep in some parts.

The 100 cows he grazed in that area managed to make it to safety, but stubborn Bernard refused to budge, and he’s been in solitary confinement on the island for the past 165 days.

Graeme and/or his sons travel the 170 kilometres from their Miner’s Rest home once a week, or once a fortnight, to ferry some hay bales out to the island, a one-kilometre punt trip that can be precarious, firstly because of waves caused by windy conditions, and secondly because Bernard is getting a bit cantankerous. As you would without a 100-cow ‘harem.’

Graeme often has to play ‘hide and seek’ with Bernard on his weekly food delivery run…and told of having to run for cover behind some trees on a few occasions when Bernard has charged him. Graeme said he usually waits until Bernard is busy tucking into the hay before he sneaks back to the boat and makes his get-away.

This week’s media attention gave Graeme his first ride in a helicopter, with the ABC flying him out to the island so a film crew could get some close-up action.

Graeme said there had been some novel suggestions as to how he could get Bernard back to the herd, with the helicopter pilot offering an airlift service that would cost around $7000. But Bernard is only worth $3000, so

Graeme doesn’t think he will go down that track, unless the airlift is sponsored in some way.

He thinks McDonalds might be interested in some sponsorship in getting “an angry Angus” to safety, one of the television stations has expressed some interest, the producers of the TV show Bondi Vet have been in touch, and Graeme has a mate at Toyota head office who has promised to take a proposal to his boss.

Graeme says other interested parties include the Australian Army and the State Emergency Service, and he has also had a call from someone at the Department of Primary Industries, and they will look into a proposal to tranquilise Bernard for any rescue operation.

Graeme doesn’t quite know where the story will end, but in the meantime he is resigned to fielding phone calls from media and other interested parties from all over Australia…making sure Bernard gets his weekly rations…and staying out of his way!

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