The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

The brumby debate will never be settled until we face the role horses played in colonisation

  • Written by Isa Menzies, Visiting Fellow, Research School of Humanities and the Arts , Australian National University
The brumby debate will never be settled until we face the role horses played in colonisation

The brumby debate refuses to go away. Nothing seems able to settle this matter.

Neither a heritage listing[1] in 2018 nor the 2021 Management Plan[2] brought the issue to a close. Last week, the report of the Senate Inquiry into the impacts of feral horses on the Australian Alps[3] recommended state and territory cooperation to urgently manage the numbers of feral horses in the Australian Alps.

The horse-human partnership has existed for around 4,000 years[4], and humans and horses share a co-evolutionary history[5]. Given this, it’s unsurprising the horse has a high emotional impact.

Tensions around wild horse management also exist in other countries[6], particularly around mustangs[7] in the United States, which are a federally protected species. However, the Australian context retains a unique flavour: the brumby has become a focus for concerns around what it means to belong in Australia[8] for settler-colonial Australians.

Horses, we are often told, have a special connection[9] with the Australian character and are part of our national psyche[10].

But too often our discussions of brumbies and Australia’s “special” relationship with the horse don’t consider the darker aspects of the horse’s role in Australian history.

Read more: Why do brumbies evoke such passion? It's all down to the high country's cultural myth-makers[11]

Horses and colonisation

Sociologist Catriona Elder has argued[12] ideas about being Australian are fundamentally tied to

a desire for the land, a fear of others who may claim the land and, as a result of this, a deep ambivalence about belonging to this space.

Horses were crucial[13] to the colonisation of this land.

They increased settler mobility in both speed and range. Being mounted offered improved field of vision when deploying a firearm. Even the body of the horse could act as a weapon, particularly when attacking camps. Taken together, the horse represented a devastating tactical advantage[14] to settlers. They proved integral to the frontier violence[15] that created modern-day Australia.

W. A. Cawthorne, 1844, A Fight at the Murray. Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW

Historian Nanette Mantle argues[16] the figure of the stockman is a celebratory story that evolved to mask the dark truth of Aboriginal dispossession.

Richard Swain (Wiradjuri) is an ambassador for the Invasive Species Council and a founding member of Reclaim Kosci[17], an organisation that seeks to raise awareness about the impacts of feral horses and create support for their humane reduction.

He has been targeted in racist attacks from the pro-horse lobby, including being threatened with the “colonial experience[18]”.

This reference, wielded as a threat, is fitting.

Tom Roberts, Dorchester, England 1856–Kallista, Victoria, Australia 1931. In a corner on the Macintyre (The bushranger), 1895. oil on canvas canvas. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Purchased 1971.

As Tim Flannery writes[19], The Man from Snowy River is “an archetypal Australian hero – one of the brave Aussies who tamed the rugged land”.

It was these stockmen mounted on horseback, Flannery writes, who were “the shock-troops in our Aboriginal wars”.

Read more: Feral horses will rule one third of the fragile Kosciuszko National Park under a proposed NSW government plan[20]

A symbol of belonging

Horses also represent a particular identity associated with Britain and Europe.

Compare horses with camels. Camels were integral[21] to the exploration and opening up of inland Australia and, like horses, were used in the battle of Beersheba[22] in the Sinai and Palestine campaign of the first world war. Like brumbies, Australia also has the largest feral camel population in the world[23].

Camels are culturally and historically significant for Arab peoples, yet here they are routinely culled[24] without a second thought.

Camels Australia has the largest feral camel population in the world. Shutterstock

Despite their long history in Australia, camels are associated with Asia and the Middle East and seen as exotic and foreign. Horses, on the other hand, have Anglo-European connotations that fit comfortably within Australia’s white identity[25].

As horses that have successfully adapted to Australia’s extreme conditions, brumbies are used to justify the coloniser’s presence on the land: if horses belong, surely we do too.

An evolving conversation

Our thinking about brumbies has evolved in recent years. The debate has moved from uncritically accepting stories of wild horses as part of Australian culture, through debates focused primarily on management, to the current recognition of the role these animals play as cultural markers.

If we can look beyond the celebratory stories and accept the role the horse has played as a highly effective tool of dispossession, we can more readily accept the truth of Australia’s colonisation. From there, we will be better positioned to resolve the brumby debate, able to move forward as a society on a mutually-agreed rather than deeply contested pathway.

Beyond the wild horses, an understanding and acceptance of this element of our dark colonial history may also better enable us to embrace reconciliation.

Read more: If The Man from Snowy River is Indigenous, what does that mean for our national myth-making?[26]

References

  1. ^ heritage listing (www.parliament.nsw.gov.au)
  2. ^ 2021 Management Plan (www.environment.nsw.gov.au)
  3. ^ impacts of feral horses on the Australian Alps (www.aph.gov.au)
  4. ^ 4,000 years (www.nature.com)
  5. ^ co-evolutionary history (www-sciencedirect-com.virtual.anu.edu.au)
  6. ^ other countries (www.publish.csiro.au)
  7. ^ around mustangs (www.nationalgeographic.com)
  8. ^ what it means to belong in Australia (search.informit.org)
  9. ^ special connection (www.newsouthbooks.com.au)
  10. ^ our national psyche (www.australiangeographic.com.au)
  11. ^ Why do brumbies evoke such passion? It's all down to the high country's cultural myth-makers (theconversation.com)
  12. ^ has argued (www.routledge.com)
  13. ^ crucial (unsw.press)
  14. ^ tactical advantage (unsw.press)
  15. ^ frontier violence (www.panmacmillan.com.au)
  16. ^ argues (catalogue.nla.gov.au)
  17. ^ Reclaim Kosci (reclaimkosci.org.au)
  18. ^ colonial experience (www.abc.net.au)
  19. ^ writes (www.quarterlyessay.com.au)
  20. ^ Feral horses will rule one third of the fragile Kosciuszko National Park under a proposed NSW government plan (theconversation.com)
  21. ^ integral (www.abc.net.au)
  22. ^ battle of Beersheba (www.awm.gov.au)
  23. ^ in the world (pestsmart.org.au)
  24. ^ routinely culled (www.aljazeera.com)
  25. ^ within Australia’s white identity (openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au)
  26. ^ If The Man from Snowy River is Indigenous, what does that mean for our national myth-making? (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/the-brumby-debate-will-never-be-settled-until-we-face-the-role-horses-played-in-colonisation-212961

Times Magazine

Understanding ITIL 4 and PRINCE2 Project Management Synergy

Key Highlights ITIL 4 focuses on IT service management, emphasising continual improvement and value creation through modern digital transformation approaches. PRINCE2 project management supports systematic planning and execution of projects wit...

What AI Adoption Means for the Future of Workplace Risk Management

Image by freepik As industrial operations become more complex and fast-paced, the risks faced by workers and employers alike continue to grow. Traditional safety models—reliant on manual oversight, reactive investigations, and standardised checklist...

From Beach Bops to Alpine Anthems: Your Sonos Survival Guide for a Long Weekend Escape

Alright, fellow adventurers and relaxation enthusiasts! So, you've packed your bags, charged your devices, and mentally prepared for that glorious King's Birthday long weekend. But hold on, are you really ready? Because a true long weekend warrior kn...

Effective Commercial Pest Control Solutions for a Safer Workplace

Keeping a workplace clean, safe, and free from pests is essential for maintaining productivity, protecting employee health, and upholding a company's reputation. Pests pose health risks, can cause structural damage, and can lead to serious legal an...

The Science Behind Reverse Osmosis and Why It Matters

What is reverse osmosis? Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification process that removes contaminants by forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane. This membrane allows only water molecules to pass through while blocking impurities such as...

Foodbank Queensland celebrates local hero for National Volunteer Week

Stephen Carey is a bit bananas.   He splits his time between his insurance broker business, caring for his young family, and volunteering for Foodbank Queensland one day a week. He’s even run the Bridge to Brisbane in a banana suit to raise mon...

The Times Features

Metal Roof Replacement Cost Per Square Metre in 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for Australian Homeowners

In recent years, the trend of installing metal roofs has surged across Australia. With their reputation for being both robust and visually appealing, it's easy to understand thei...

Why You’re Always Adjusting Your Bra — and What to Do Instead

Image by freepik It starts with a gentle tug, then a subtle shift, and before you know it, you're adjusting your bra again — in the middle of work, at dinner, even on the couch. I...

How to Tell If Your Eyes Are Working Harder Than They Should Be

Image by freepik Most of us take our vision for granted—until it starts to let us down. Whether it's squinting at your phone, rubbing your eyes at the end of the day, or feeling ...

Ways to Attract Tenants in a Competitive Rental Market

In the kind of rental market we’ve got now, standing out is half the battle. The other half? Actually getting someone to sign that lease. With interest rates doing backflips and ...

Top Tips for Finding the Ideal Block to Build Your Home

There’s something deeply personal and exciting about building your own home. You’re not just choosing paint colours or furniture, you’re creating a space that reflects your lifes...

The Home Buying Process Explained Step by Step

Buying a home is a thrilling milestone, but it can also feel like navigating a maze without a map. With paperwork, finances, and decisions at every turn, understanding the home-b...