Brumbies

The last day of the CFP retreat. Luwei's flight back to Tassie left around 5 pm, so we had a deadline by which to get home. This meant a short morning walk in hope to spot brumbies on the Cooleman Plains.

After mostly packing up, we left Ella to play with Wally, Kial and Kelsey while we drove back to Blue Waterholes from which we walked south along a fire trail. The recent rain made the track sticky and we soon found the soles of our shoes caked in a lovely layer of thick mud! As we wandered through the scattered woodland area, we caught a glimpse of a small group of three brumbies. Unfortunately they were spooked by our presence, galloping off down the small gully.

However a short distance later, we emerged on to the Cooleman Plain, a vast flat area covered in tussock grass. Also known as a frost hollow, it is where the cold air collects dropping the temperature inhibiting tree growth and where the brumbies love to congregate. We were in luck!




Horses were introduced into the Snowy Mountains area in the 1830's when the first European's arrived. These horses were essential for those pioneers living in these regions for both travel and moving stock. Some of these domesticated horses escaped or were purposely release during times of drought or to improve the quality of mobs and wild horses quickly became established.

These majestic animals hold a special place in Australian history thanks to Banjo Paterson's poem - The Man from Snowy River....

There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around 
That the colt from old Regret had got away,
And had joined the wild bush horses — he was worth a thousand pound, 
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far
Had mustered at the homestead overnight,
For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are, 
And the stock-horse snuffs the battle with delight. 

However for others, the 6000 brumbies that are currently roaming within Kosciuszko National Park, are considered feral animals damaging the alpine environment especially the waterways and the sphagnum bogs. The NSW Government recently proposed a Draft Wild Horse Management Plan which would see the culling of thousands of these brumbies over the coming years. The plan was not well received and is currently being discussed amongst relevant groups.

I must say I'm torn between the two views but I did love watching these beautiful free creatures.

As for Luwei, it was another first for. She declared on the trip on the way back to Canberra who declared that this being her first camping was a wonderful experience and that she would hope to do more in Tasmania.