Archive for the ‘Brumby’ Category
Back before I went to the snow monkeys in Japan that was at the end of February, my son was returning to the Gold Coast when I got the call just minutes after he left, “Mum, grab your camera, there is 2 brumbies at the turn off to Maryborough.”
These photos show you how close the brumbies get to the road. It is a dangerous situation not just for the brumbies but also for the vehicles and the people driving them. Here the cars and trucks travel at 100kmph, only slowing if they are turning to go in the direction of Maryborough.
The weekend before I went to the Japan, I thought I would drive up to Hervey Bay and try my luck at photographing Brown Booby’s on the Urangan Pier. It was a good opportunity for my husband to visit his parents and while I didn’t spot one Booby I did find an enormous flock of Pied Oyster Catchers.
Once upon a time it was a rare sighting to see Brumbies on the side of the road. Now days every time I go to Maryborough or Hervey Bay, I’m treated to their presence. So far I have counted 3 herds in the Tuan forest but I know there is many more. There is one herd which I photographed last that consists of a smaller stallion and 2 mares, then there is another herd of 5, sexes unknown but I did see some aggressive activity on one occasion where there was possibly 2 stallions, naturally I didn’t have my camera. And the third herd I have seen consists of 9 horses, 3 of which are foals. That means there must be 3 mares and potentially another 2 mares and clearly 1 stallion. This particular herd caught my attention on this very hot day as we were driving back from Hervey Bay. They were standing under a tree just beside the road and naturally I didn’t have a camera. About 20 minutes from home, I decided I would return once I got my camera and hopefully they would still be there.
They weren’t, but a little off-roading and I found them. They weren’t very comfortable with my presence and I doubt any horses would be when there is 3 foals amidst the herd. I sat in 41 degree Celsius temperatures waiting patiently to gain their confidence.
3 mares and 3 foals
This stallion and the only one that I could identify as being a stallion was collared. I have no idea why and by whom.
9 horses in the herd, what a great find.
It is not uncommon to encounter some of the local brumbies that reside in the state forests when you drive out of Tin Can Bay. There is only 2 roads out of here, the one that leads to Gympie and the other that leads to Maryborough and both roads border state forests. Brumbies roam the state forests in this area and for me it is always special to see them close to the road. Obviously there is some risk when they are so close as the traffic travels at 100kmph in these areas.
The Australian Brumby Alliance Inc. states that brumbies are widely distributed in Queensland however the largest numbers are located in Cape York, the north-western part of the Qld and the Northern Territory border, Carnarvon National and an area south of Maryborough which is exactly where we live and where I photographed these 3 brumbies.
The most photogenic of the 3 was the stallion which stood shorter than the 2 mares that accompanied him. He had attitude plus, something I love in an horse but when I got out of the car to get closer to him, he was showing signs that my presence was disturbing him and I wasn’t quite sure what he would do, so I opted to return to the car and then use the car as my safety barrier to take photos from the window. Which isn’t the most comfortable of places to take photos from, not when you have the car running, no kerb to park on, cars and semi trailers passing at 100kmph on a Public Holiday and I had pulled in on the wrong side of the road, so the camera was closest to the brumbies. If the local constabulary had come along, it would have definitely warranted a fine or a very stern warning. Fortunately they didn’t come along and most people who did come along, slowed down to get photos themselves and then waved to me as they drove away. I think the wave was to say thank you for bringing the brumbies to their attention.
Below is a link to some information about Brumbies and how they came to be.
https://www.horsesandpeople.com.au/sites/default/files/articles/AWilson_Brumby_Nov12.pdf
For any of you who has a son, you will most probably know that boys love their toys and my son’s toy is his 4wd. Whenever he comes to visit, part of the visit incorporates a four wheel drive.
This particular weekend we did some exploring through the Toolara State Forest. The Toolara Forest covers an area of around 42,000 hectares. While at the time we thought we would easily get lost, my son recognised all sorts of marks on the road and trees that were able to get us back to where we started quite easily.
In my first photo below you will see some horse droppings in the middle of the road. The Toolara Forest is home to possibly hundreds of Brumby’s (wild horses) and while we didn’t see any this weekend, we often do.
I love the red earth.
Here we are pulled over while I try to photograph a flock of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos. I missed the flock of at least 50 birds but did get one shot. There is nothing special about this photo but it’s good to have proof I saw them.
In the forest we did see a number of kangaroos but with the thick forest and under growth it was impossible to get photos. We did however see some when we got out into a clearing.
Here we have a large male
And his harem.
I am yet to find koalas in the area but it doesn’t go without trying. I am forever hopeful.
Between Gympie and Tin Can Bay there is 42,000 hectares of Pine State Forest……….the photos below show the Toolara State Forest and were taken as my husband and I were driving into Tin Can Bay on Easter Friday.
Between Tin Can Bay and Maryborough there is another 93,000 hectares of State Pine Forest. The Tuan State Forest is the largest at 70,000 hectares with a few other smaller forests on it’s border.
The state forests have always been a place of refuge for the Australian Brumby. The brumby is a unique horse that epitomizes the spirit of freedom. They roam through rugged bush land and the harsh outback areas of Australia where they are free to run wild and survive in extreme conditions. The largest numbers range freely throughout the Northern Territory, Queensland and northern Western Australia as these States contain the most undeveloped and least populated areas of Australia.
It is now believed that there could be as many as 1300 Brumby’s calling the forest between Gympie and Maryborough home.
The SEQ Brumby Association was set up in 2009 to help trap and rehome some of the Brumby’s. With the Brumby’s living so close to main roads, it has always been a concern that accidents would start occurring and with accidents comes loss of lives.
The SEQ Brumby Association managed to rehome a small number of brumby’s but due to being unable to find a replacement trainer in 2013 the association appears to have stopped operating. I have not been able to find out if they are still in operation, but if I do, I will be sure to update my blog.
Back a few years ago when my son and I used to go to Fraser Island, we would pass the state forest in the very early hours of the morning, we would often see Brumby’s beside the road but since June when we purchased our house in Tin Can bay, I have failed to see any, which led me to think that maybe they had all been trapped. It is something the government has talked about doing for many years.
On the website www.savethebrumbies.org I found this extract:
As the Government take over more and more land where traditionally horses have free ranged for many years the tough, strong Heritage Brumby is under constant threat of death. Accused of alleged environmental damage the horses are banned from their natural habitat and are being slaughtered in ever increasing numbers. Under Australian legislation the Heritage Brumby is classed as ‘feral’ and is treated as such. There is no provision for their protection, preservation and continuation of the genetics into the future. We are trying to change this and to change attitudes towards the Australian Heritage Brumby Horse.
Easter weekend driving back from Hervey bay, I said to my husband after seeing the kangaroos, “the only thing that could make this day any better, would be to see some Bumbies”. And within a few kilometres of saying that, there they were.
You cannot imagine how good I felt seeing them and knowing that they are still out there, roaming the bush and living a life of freedom as they so well deserve. I hope I get to see many more Brumby’s over the years to come.
If you want to know more about the Brumbies I really recommend visiting this website.
www.savethebrumbies.org
Sandra Broom 
