Firefighters have rescued a large bull after it slid down an embankment and became stuck in a creek bed at Stroud.
The Fire and Rescue NSW crew from Dungog spent four hours freeing the 850kg creature - known as Sanga - at Mill Creek Road on Wednesday afternoon after they found it resting against two trees in the water.
Sanga had slid down an embankment and could not get to safety.
A vet was called to sedate the animal before crews from FRNSW, assisted by the Rural Fire Service, could start the rescue.
Firefighters placed four lifting slings under the bull and the farmer used a backhoe to pull the bull up the 10-metre embankment.
The bull was assessed by the vet and then returned safely to the farmer.
Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Scott Dodson said it was a timely reminder that calling Triple Zero could be the difference between life and death.