Parks Victoria sets up for brumby cull: aerial and ground shooting

East Gippsland locals say helicopter crews have counted 5000 brumbies across the eastern Alps in preparation for a major cull. See the aerial maps.

A mob of brumbies heads for the hills in Victoria’s Alps.

Brumpy protection groups have been told culling will begin across Victoria’s Alps this month, with Parks Victoria already issuing aerial cull maps.

Brumby Action Group spokeswoman Marilyn Nuske said Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning staff, sympathetic to their cause, had told them aerial and ground shooting of the wild horses would occur from Wombargo Creek, west of Suggan Buggan, to the surrounding Bridle and Rhymer Creeks.

One local, who had been briefed by a DELWP employee said “they were doing their counts on the brumbies out of the chopper and told us they’ve confirmed about 5000 in the eastern Alps.

“They had the scouting chopper down at Marlo, with harnesses and gun mounts.

“Ground shooters have been told to wear plain clothes and if spotted by the public to get into their vehicles and leave immediately.”

Parks Victoria has also released aerial cull maps excluding the public from the Suggan Buggan and Alpine National Park north of Mount Hotham.

Aerial cull zone - Alpine National Park surrounding Suggan Buggan

Aerial cull zone - Alpine National Park north of Mt Hotham ski resort

Parks Victoria’s maps state the Suggan Buggan area will be closed to the public from November 15-19 and again from November 22-26 to cull deer and feral pigs, while the region north of Mount Hotham will be closed from November 29 to December 3.

Parks Victoria refuses to state where, when or even if horses have been added to the list of feral species helicopter crews will cull this month.

But on Monday Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio gave the go ahead for brumbies to be shot, releasing the Government’s final Feral Horse Action Plan 2021, which states for the first time that “aerial shooting may be applied in exceptional circumstances, or if other methods fail to remove sufficient horses to reduce ecological impacts”.

Asked if horses had been added to the list of feral species to be aerial culled this spring, a Parks Victoria released a statement that “there are large numbers of feral horses in the Alpine area and the damage they cause is evident.

“The most humane feral horse management techniques have been selected on the best advice and Parks Victoria needs to respond to the current situation with the best techniques available.

“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.”

Ms Nuske said it was particularly distressing that Minister D’Ambrosio would endorse shooting brumbies during the foaling season, risking leaving unmothered foals to starve.