Community elder Geoff Guest victim to outdoor property damage and horse killings

A Far North bushman known for his work with at-risk youth and families has been the victim of property damage and horse shootings. Find out more.

A Far North bushman known for his work with at risk youth and families has been the victim of property vandalism and horse shootings, the most recent one happening a few weeks ago.

Geoff Guest, a 96-year-old who lives by himself on a rural property at Petford, said it was common for his property and others to be targeted.

“Some people don’t like what we (his work with at-risk youth) are doing but it’s today’s world unfortunately,” he said.

Mr Guest often travels to Mareeba for medical treatment and to counsel families experiencing hardships.

He said the attacks on his property, damaging his water pump and solar panels, combined with his heart condition, had set him back.

“The biggest item now required is batteries for solar panels,” he said.

“My solar system is just about functioning if I watch it carefully

“Unfortunately I’ve also had a lot of horses shot lately.”

Mr Guest is known for his groundbreaking work at reforming youth offenders through horsemanship and even today, breaks horses on his property but in the last few years, reported frequent attacks.

“I finally found out they are just shooting horses and taking the back legs and selling the meat,” he said.

“A month back, we had a hundred odd pigs coming around eating the dead horses.

“You don’t see pigs in large numbers like this unless there’s something attracting them.”

Ashley Matar, a Kuranda resident who is a friend of Mr Guest’s and often camps at his property, said she had seen a horse with a bullet hole in its neck bleeding out when she was there this weekend.

Horse handler and bushman Geoff Guest has been running a successful on country program for juvenile delinquents since 1979. In 44 years, over 4,000 troubled youths have lived on Geoff's remote property between Petford and Herberton, learning healthy lifestyle habits, horsecraft and bush skills. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Usually 40 to 50 horses come in, this weekend only about three to four came in,” she said.

Ms Matar believed more than 80 horses had been shot in just the last few months and said she was shocked at not just the attacks on horses but also the damage to Mr Guest’s property, which was particularly bad this time round.

There was damage to projects he was working on and items directly affecting his work, she said.

“His water, electricity (solar power) and his growth of greens for horse feed have all been destroyed,” she said.

Ms Matar said she didn’t know the reason or the person behind the attacks but suspected it was coming from a place of spite.

“Horses should not have to suffer or die because someone doesn’t understand Geoff’s work,” she said.

A lot of the horses had been saved from being victims of shooting at another property and brought in here, and it was devastating to see them meet their end this way, according to Ms Matar.

“It’s his lifework, dead on the ground.”

Ms Matar is setting up a GoFundMe to help Mr Guest recover costs following the damages.

Ben Cross, Detective Sergeant Officer in Charge of Rural Stock Crimes in Mareeba, confirmed incidents of this sort had happened to Mr Guest but said he never wanted to make an official complaint.

In regards to killing of Mr Guest’s horses, Sgt Cross could not confirm the recent incident.

Opening up his facility to at risk youth unfortunately put Mr Guest at risk, he said.

“We respect the work Geoff does but investigating is hard,” he said.

“Our only chance of forensic or witness evidence is usually gone in 48 hours.”

Sgt Cross said more often people who live out of the way will be victims to such crimes.

“People will target these properties as they think they can easily get away with it,” he said.

For years, they had been pushing for people to lock up even in remote areas.

“Living in the outback is no different to living in town,” he said.

“You have to steps to secure your property.”

It was critical to mark livestock, he added, to help in identification when it came to theft or loss.

Originally published as Community elder Geoff Guest victim to outdoor property damage and horse killings