Brumby cull: Wild horses to be shot in Victoria’s Alps by Parks Victoria

Rural communities are up in arms over plans to shoot Victoria’s iconic Alpine brumbies, just days after the Melbourne Cup.

Brumby supporters fear the Andrews government is about to start aerial and ground shooting the icon of the Alps.

Brumby supporters have issued warnings the state government is about to start ground and aerial shooting of feral horses in Victoria’s Alps, just days after the nation stops to celebrate the Melbourne Cup.

Parks Victoria issued a statement this morning saying it would be necessary to reduce the damage caused by feral horses, including tightly managed shooting.

“Please note that to protect the safety and welfare of Parks Victoria staff, contractors and community members, operational details (such as timing and location of feral horse control operations) are not publicly released,” the statement said.

Brumby Action Group spokeswoman Marilyn Nuske said it had received four reports from people in Victoria’s Suggan Buggan region near the NSW border that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning would use a helicopter to begin aerial culling of horses within days.

“One of them works up in that area and one is a DELWP employee who has seen a directive, which is part of their feral management plan” Ms Nuske said. “They’re shooting feral pigs, goats and on the list they have put brumbies.

“They said the intention was to use a helicopter and they’re, moving up into the region after Tuesday (following the Melbourne Cup).”

The Victorian government released its 2021 feral horse action plan today, which states if “aerial shooting may be applied in exceptional circumstances, or if other methods fail to remove sufficient horses to reduce ecological impacts”.

East Gippsland Shire Council has written to Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio stating its opposition to ground and aerial culling of horses.

But Ms D’Ambrosio wrote back in August stating ground and aerial shooting would be allowed in “exceptional circumstances”.

Upper House MP for Western Victoria Bev McArthur said Ms D’Ambrosio needed to confirm that brumbies were about to be shot.

“This is serious. There is real fear that this barbaric action is about to happen with an apparent approval given for Parks Victoria to aerial shoot after the long weekend,” Mrs McArthur said.

“Not only is this wrong, and counter to evidence about the brumby damage, but the timing is appalling.

“On Tuesday, the nation revels in the Melbourne Cup, a celebration of horses. With the public distracted, this Government simultaneously intends on shooting brumbies from a helicopter.”

Ms McArthur said the focus should been on controlling the feral pigs and deer that are doing most of the damage, not horses.

Australian Brumby Alliance president Jill Pickering wrote to Parks Victoria chief executive Matthew Jackson last week asking him to rule out any aerial or ground shooting.

The Weekly Times is awaiting a response from Ms D’Ambrosio.