Cattle in stampede through township
UPDATE: Esk electrician Brad Gillam may have enjoyed only one quick beer before setting off for home on Sunday night, but when he turned onto the main street and saw what was approaching, he must have though he'd had a few too many.
Up to 40 cattle, believed to have escaped from a paddock just north of town after being spooked, trundled down Ipswich St and into the central business district about 8pm.
Cattle are far from an infrequent sight around Esk.
However, the presence of so much startled beef on a major road raised more than a few eyebrows.
Police reported receiving several triple-zero calls from 8pm onwards, with callers describing as many as 50 cows running up the middle of the main street towards the council chambers.
Several units were sent out from Lowood and Ipswich, but Mr Gillam was able to prove himself handy with more than just a voltmeter and a set of side-cutters.
"I had a cow staring me in the face and my first thought was, is this for real," Mr Gillam said.
"I don't really have much experience with cattle, but I have sort of rounded them up before."
Luckily, Mr Gillam was able to herd the cows into a dead-end street, where a gate leading into a stranger's property was open.
The cows, which Mr Gillam estimated to number between 30 and 40, were herded inside and he shut the gate behind them.
"If a car or truck had come along at the wrong time it could have been bad news," he said.
There were concerns that a bull was still loose yesterday.
EARLIER: Police believe a bull could be on the loose near Esk after an estimated 50 cattle escaped from a paddock overnight.
Several people called Triple-0 about 8pm Sunday after noticing a group of cattle running up Ipswich St - the main street of Esk.
Most of the cattle were rounded up later in the evening, however a bull was sighted about 3km out of town about 5am Monday.
