Australia-One tough steer.

Caramel the Charolais-cross almost became fudge in December.

The steer has become the centre of an internet sensation and is known around the world as the "toughest bullock" after he survived a lightning strike.

Pictures of Caramel in an email telling his story have been traced to the United States and the United Kingdom as well as all over Australia.

His owner, Bill Shaw, said a thunder storm came through their area in early December and after the storm Caramel could no be found for three weeks.

Caramel is one of 35 cattle Mr Shaw fattens on his 60 hectares between Bororen and Miriam Vale in Central Queensland.

"I looked for him for weeks and you would think he would be easier to find on 60 hectares," Mr Shaw said.

"And then one day he turned up at the trough near the house and he had all these burns down one side and a deep wound as well.

"We cleaned him up but he was rejected from the herd so we handfed him for a month and he has regained his appetite and strength and now he is back with the rest of the cattle again."

Caramel appears to have made a full recovery, despite losing conditioning and the burns from the strike which is believed to have hit yards or a fence that Caramel was standing next to.

"I haven’t seen anything like it before, we think the strike flashed from the fence or yards onto him," Mr Shaw said.

"From the research I have done most don’t survive and if they do, they die of internal injuries in the weeks after the strike.

"But he is doing really well and he has probably bought himself some time."

The Charolais cross was due to head to market but Mr Shaw said he will be kept around for a while yet, he might even make some celebrity appearances at shows and rodeos.