A momentous day for protection of Kosciuszko National Park from feral horse damage. On 27 November the NSW Parliament repealed the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act, which required the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to recognise the ‘heritage value’ of the horses.

The Act had resulted in the retention of 3,000 horses, despite their being listed as a key threatening process by the NSW Scientific Committee.

For many decades, NPA ACT has raised concerns about the environmental damage being caused by feral horses in Kosciuszko. Our concerns were both for Kosciuszko National Park itself, and for the damage caused by feral horses crossing the border into Namadgi National Park.

When the Invasive Species Council established the Reclaim Kosci campaign in 2018 to fight for a substantial reduction in horse numbers, NPA ACT was an early and energetic supporter. Many of our members took part in the ‘Save Kosci’ walk from Sydney to the summit of Mt Kosciuszko in late 2018.

Collecting signatures for a petition. Photo by Linda Groom

They also helped gather signatures for three petitions and wrote submissions to the 2023 inquiry, which resulted in the reintroduction of aerial shooting as one of the control methods for feral horses. 

Now that the ‘brumby bill’ has been repealed, the horses will be managed under the National Parks and Wildlife Act (NSW, 1974). That Act has, as its main object, the excellent aim of ‘conservation of nature’.

By November 2027, the NSW Government must develop a new plan to manage the horses. We hope that plan will have a target number of ‘as near to zero as practicable’ horses, bringing Kosciuszko into line with our virtually horse-free Namadgi.

Linda Groom