I just saw your article from the Barmah brumby group on Facebook. It is disgusting that this is still happening. I oppose any shooting of the brumbies.
Debbie Peter, Kyneton
Barbaric practice needs to stop
I am horrified by how our Federal Government is pressing ahead with brumby culls, supported in Victoria and NSW by Labor and Greens ministers.
I recently did a little research and discovered that the now-retired Dr Stuart Cairns did not have his survey method peer-reviewed. This has been the crux of this issue.
Other researchers have found his numbers to be biologically impossible. His research is not supported by peers at all.
In NSW, there was a publicly funded and peer-reviewed count using AI that disputes numbers, yet even as we speak, Snowy brumbies are being aerial culled in Kosciuszko National Park.
Filmed yesterday by brumby advocates on my Facebook page today. Multiple shots were heard. The helicopter did not land once to check if the brumbies were dead.
This is a barbaric practice and needs to stop. The numbers are now few. The Australian people are lied to.
Judith Young, Lancefield
(The Brumby Council)
Thank you for articles
Thank you for making people aware of this abhorrent action on behalf of NPWS prompted by Penny Sharpe
It is extremely distressing to see that bureaucrats show nil responsibility towards heritage brumbies. Please keep informing people of these atrocities.
Helen Daniels,
Witta, Queensland
Disgusted by the government
I am totally disgusted with our government over the shooting of our brumbies. The government are meant to listen to the people, as it is the people who keep them elected.
Pauline Bevan,
Mt Bryan, South Australia
Outraged by inhumane shooting
It’s disgusting, outraged and so inhumane what the government are doing in serial shootings. They are heritage. They were here before us. Only humans do this.
Rosemary Harwood,
Claremont, Tasmania
Barbaric, cruel and unnecessary
I am emailing to express my disappointment, sadness, and outrage at the brumbies continuing to be shot and killed in the Barmah State Forest when they could be rehomed.
It’s barbaric, cruel, and unnecessary, given the rehoming circumstances.
Leanne Jack, Mornington
A park of death and decay
I would like to add to what journalist Geoff Adams wrote about the ‘Secrets in the Barmah Forest’ (Country News, Tuesday May 7) and thank him for his persistence in getting answers.
For some 20 years I have been a regular visitor to Barmah just to see the Brumbies and observe their gentle nature living quietly in the bush.
I was shocked to learn of the Barmah Strategic Action Plan with Parks Victoria and Yorta Yorta which called for complete eradication over the 2020-23 period.
The plan was very secretly extended with no community or stakeholder consultation.
How can this happen? It was to be reviewed once numbers were down to 100 and a number recount — neither has occurred.
May 2023 saw many shot brumbies being covered up, yet there was no warning or public notice of any shootings taking place, this was very much a huge risk to the public.
Nor was there any rehomers notified. The plan states rehome before shooting — this did not occur.
Many were concerned as I was that there was a rogue shooter on the loose.
I called local police which knew nothing about it and said to call Parks Victoria. I did and they said that there is no notice of any culls taking place.
So how do you explain all the dead, covered-up brumbies?
I wrote to the then regional director of Parks Victoria asking about the covered-up carcases and why rehomers weren’t asked if they were able to take then in.
I was told that “Parks Victoria has not deviated from its management plans or stated objectives and will continue to deliver a safe and professional feral horse control program while meeting high animal welfare standards. Parks Victoria’s position on publicly releasing operational details of horse programs has not changed ... and all operational programs meet standard operating procedure standards, with appropriate expert oversight.”
Then why is it that brumbies that were uncovered from the branches had been peppered with bullets — gut shots, etc?
That to me is certainly not ‘appropriate expert oversight or standard operating procedures.
Sadly, we are at the stage that what brumbies are left, they will only be more target practice and left to rot on the forest floor.
Barmah National Park is park of death and decay.
Killing the brumbies will not give Parks Victoria a pristine park back — the park was destroyed when the river was manipulated by humans not the brumbies, cattle or loggers.
Our group, Barmah Brumby Hay Angels, have raised and given in excess of $36,000 to brumby rehomers such as Barmah Brumby Preservation Group, Mountain Brumby Sanctuary, Indigo Brumbies and many other brumby- related causes.
If a small group like ours with Kaye Moor can do this, why can’t Parks Victoria kick into preserving them rather than shooting them all?
Renee Neubauer, Wallan
(Barmah Brumby Hay Angels)
14°C