Introduction : Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world, off the Queensland coast is home to over 20 brumbies. The majority of these can be found in the general area of Orchid Beach and Waddy Point on the east coast of the island. These brumbies are descended from Arabs, Draughts and Waler breeds. The brumbies in the Orchid Beach and Waddy Point areas have become so accustomed to the high number of tourists, and the small number of locals living on the island that they have become extremely quiet. One would be forgiven to believe that some of these brumbies were domestics which had recently escaped from someone's property, but they are not domestics. Through their becoming so quiet and having some domestic-like qualities, the stability of the mobs ( family groups ) is low, with mares and foals seen at times without a stallion.

Brief History : Horses have been known to be on Fraser Island since before 1879. 1879 was the year when the Dicken family took over the management of a cattle and horse property known as the Fraser Island Run. The 25 square mile property was on the eastern side of the island in the Eurong area. George Dicken had a partnership with Harry Aldridge and together they bred pure-bred Arab horses, and very successfully supplied these horses to the Indian army. Dicken bred Clydesdale draught horses for himself. It is believed that around 1884 a ship with these Arab horses on board sunk somewhere south of Sandy Cape, and some of the horses were able to escape the wreck and swim ashore. These horses were free to run wild in the bush. These "shipwrecked" horses, and others which would have escaped from the Fraser Island Run and other runs, are where the brumbies of Fraser Island would have first originated. It is also believed that some these brumbies are of Waler origin. The Waler is Australia's war horse which was used extensively in World War One. From observing the brumbies, it is obvious to see the three breeds in them that make up their conformation.

Before the 1930's, one estimate of brumby numbers on the island was put at about 2,000. Many of the brumbies have been shot out over the years. The last major culling operation took place about fifteen years ago where it was believed by QPWS that there were none left after this culling. About thirteen years ago some brumbies wandered out of the bush and into to the Orchid Beach village area. These have bred foals, however a number of these foals have been attacked and eaten by the dingoes over the years. Since the killing of a number of dingoes by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service recently because of a boy's death due to a dingo attack, a number of new foals have escaped death from the dingoes.

Another cull was secretly planned for about six years ago, however some members of the public became aware of this proposed cull, and pressure was put on the government to have it stopped.

A number of people believe that because of the brumby's rich history on the island, the brumby has significant heritage, historical and cultural values, however this view doesn't seem to be recognised by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

 

Left : This mare, known as "Princess" to some of the locals, is seen here quietly, and only very slightly cautiously grazing in a local resident's front yard in Orchid Beach village. Some of the yards have electric fences to keep the brumbies out, while some people purposely have poor fences to allow the brumbies into their yards. A number of homes are vacant during the non-holiday season. Some of the locals have a "love/hate relationship" with these brumbies. They dearly love the brumbies but when they pull out garden plants they are definitely not very popular for a short while. You can see why the lush green couch lawns attract them into the village.

This is not the type of sight of Australia's brumbies that many people would expect to see. It is an unusual situation in this village

Right : Another beautiful foal. A local said that all the last lot of foals are fillys.

Note the sandy ground.

Left : Another beautiful foal.

Right : This old stallion has just had a small fight with another stallion over some mares. The other stallion has gone off to the left of the photo with one mare and another stallion. The old stallion is seen here with his ears back, and his neck straightened and lowered as he pushes three mares and three foals off to the right of the photo.

Left : Brumbies in the bush.

Colours are mostly bay, brown and chestnut. Seen here in the foreground is a buckskin mare, with a grey/creamy stallion further back. This stallion is a brother to " Babe", the brumby mare who was rescued as a foal from a dingo attack in 1996. ( See next page for more on " Babe ".

Right : This mare is known to the locals as " The prehistoric mare ". She does have an unusual look about her.