Hooligans used a forklift to tear up turf and smash fences at a hockey and baseball complex, causing AUD30,000 (USD16,260) in damage on September 23.

An alarm was activated when the vandals rammed the forklift into the wall of Traeger Park's canteen, but the offenders fled before police arrived, a Northern Territory News report said.

Alice Springs deputy mayor Michael Jones said: "It's just a disgrace. It is a struggle enough for council to find the funds to build these grounds. Now we have something like this happening."