It's time for conservation based on compassion, and without violence.
We invite you to reimagine the world as one of deep peace for all species.
In rewilding, we let the animals repair landscapes by harnessing their natural instincts and giving them the freedom to do what they know they must do.
Their freedom is a freedom for Mother Earth and for humanity from the tyranny of a patriarchal society based on domination, control, and violence.
Let's embrace kindness, compassion, empathy, and benevolent stewardship for a gentler, better tomorrow.
Rewilding Australia
What We Do
Rewilding Australia is not just about restoring land — it’s about restoring relationship. It’s about seeing wild horses, donkeys, camels, and other so-called “invasives” as sacred beings with ancient lineage and purpose. We’re here to change the story: from one of domination to one of deep peace, from destruction to harmony.
Born on sacred land where species coexist in peace, Rewilding Australia is a vision for the future — a future where compassion leads, where animals are kin, and where the healing of Country begins with listening to her wild heart.
We are reclaiming not just land, but a way of being with the Earth.
What is Rewilding, Really?
In today’s world, “rewilding” has become a buzzword — used by governments, scientists, and conservationists alike. But for us, at Rewilding Australia, it’s not just about returning ecosystems to some imagined pre-colonial state. It’s about something much deeper — a return to right relationship.
Rewilding, really, is a remembrance.
It’s the re-enchantment of land, the renewal of kinship with animals, and the restoration of sacred balance. It’s not about controlling nature but trusting her. It’s not about deciding who belongs and who doesn’t, but listening to the wisdom of the wild ones already here.
True rewilding honours the ancient role animals play in the health of Country — not just ecologically, but energetically. It recognises that so-called “introduced species” like wild horses, donkeys, and camels are not invaders, but beings with lineage and purpose, brought here through human hands and now shaping the land in powerful, often beneficial ways.
Rewilding is about compassion as much as conservation. It’s about letting go of colonial ideas of domination and management, and instead stepping into partnership with nature — humbly, reverently, and with open hearts.
At Rewilding Australia, we see rewilding as a spiritual act. A revolution of love. A path toward healing not just the Earth, but ourselves.
Teachers, Healers, Kin
They call them feral. Pests. Invasives.
But if you look with your heart instead of old colonial frameworks, you’ll see something else entirely.
You’ll see teachers. Healers. Kin.
Wild horses — brumbies — have roamed parts of Australia for centuries. They arrived with humans, yes, but now they belong to the rhythms of this land. They’ve adapted. They’ve become part of the story of Country. And the truth is, their presence can be profoundly beneficial — creating biodiversity hot spots, aerating soil, spreading seeds, shaping water flow, and coexisting peacefully with other species.
But the science is only one part of the story.
The deeper truth is this: wild horses are sacred.
They remind us of freedom, of sovereignty, of the deep intelligence of prey animals. They move like wind and thunder, holding memories older than our own. They call us back to a time when we listened to hooves and heartbeats instead of profits and policies.
The current culling — the mass shootings from helicopters, the erasure of entire herds — is not just ecological misjudgment. It’s a spiritual crisis. A symptom of a system that has forgotten how to revere life.
At Rewilding Australia, we make the case not just for the wild horse’s survival, but for their celebration. Because when we save them, we save something wild and beautiful in ourselves.
The Case for Compassion: Defending Australia's Wild Horses
For over 200 years, wild horses have run free across Australia’s high country, their hooves tracing the contours of a land ancient beyond measure. They have endured drought, fire, and human interference, not as invaders, but as survivors—beings woven into the fabric of the wilderness they call home. Yet, today, their very existence hangs by a thread.
The government is preparing to overturn legislation that once promised them protection, threatening to wipe them from the land forever. They claim that 3,000 horses remain. In truth, there are far, far fewer. Their goal is not control, not management, but eradication. A final, brutal silencing of a an ancient species that has stood as a symbol of resilience and spirit.
But where is the case against humans? Where are the calls for accountability for the roads that slice through ancient forests, the tourist infrastructure destroying the natural beauty of the wilderness, the endeavours that bleed toxins into waterways, the over liberal use of deadly and brutal poisons (like 1080) that destroy all manner of species, the bulldozers that flatten ecosystems in the name of profit?
Why are the brumbies condemned as destroyers, while human industry remains unchecked?
Why Rewilding Works
Across the world, large herbivores are being reintroduced to heal ecosystems. In Europe and the United States, the return of animals like wild horses and bison has restored balance to forests and grasslands, preventing catastrophic wildfires and promoting biodiversity. Wild horses and burros have been shown to regenerate landscapes, increasing plant diversity, and even restoring water sources by digging for hidden springs.
Australia’s wild horses could do the same — if only they were given the chance. These animals do not destroy the land; they shape it. Unlike hard-hooved animals that compact and degrade the soil, wild horses aerate it, helping native grasses to thrive. Their hooves are concave with a soft frog. Their presence keeps fuel loads down, reducing the severity of bushfires. Their manure builds rich soil ecosystems, feeding insects and birds. In the past 200 years, they have found a place in the ecosystem as a large herbivore, a keystone species missing since the extinction of Australia’s megafauna.
The argument that they do nothing but harm is not just flawed — it is a dangerous lie.
The Real Threats to the Wilderness
What is truly harming Australia’s wilderness?
- Logging: Ancient forests are clear-felled, destroying vital ecosystems and displacing countless species.
- Litter and Pollution: Plastic waste and toxic chemicals contaminate waterways and soil.
- 1080 Poisoning: Indiscriminate baiting programs cause immense suffering and disrupt the delicate balance of life.
- Infrastructure for Tourism: Roads, resorts, and facilities fragment habitats, pushing wildlife into increasingly vulnerable situations.
Yet, amid all of this destruction, it is the brumbies who are blamed? The hypocrisy is staggering.
More Than a "Feral Pest"
The language used against Australia’s wild horses is deliberate. They are called ‘feral,’ ‘pests,’ ‘invasive’ — terms designed to strip them of their history, their value, their right to exist. But to many Australians, they are icons. They are the heart of the high country, the living pulse of the wilderness.
We do not accept the extermination of a species simply because it is inconvenient. We do not accept the rewriting of history to erase the brumby’s place on this land. And we do not accept that a government, under pressure from corporate interests, should dictate the fate of an entire population without acknowledging the role of human destruction in the very crisis they claim to be addressing.
Take Action Now!
If we do nothing, Australia’s wild horses will vanish. Not in a hundred years, not in a decade — but soon. And once they are gone, they will not return. The high country will fall silent.
The high country they have called home for 200 years — and the very species the government says they threaten, have come to rely on them, developing a symbiotic relationship of mutual care.
What You Can Do
- WRITE TO POLITICIANS: Send emails to as many MPs as you can, but include Chris Minns (Premier of NSW), Penny Sharpe (Minister for Environment), and Steve Whan (Eden-Monaro MP). Let them know that we see through their lies and that their draconian policies are unacceptable. Tell them you will not vote for leaders who stand for cruelty.
- SPREAD THE WORD: Share this message far and wide. Talk to friends, post on social media, challenge the false narratives.
Template for Letter to Politicians
Feel free to use this as the basis for a letter to your political leaders. While you could use the text more or less as-is, it is better if you rephrase things into your own words.
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Dear [Politician’s Name],
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed eradication of Australia’s wild horses. The claim that 3,000 brumbies remain is a gross exaggeration, and the attempt to overturn protective legislation is an unjust and deceptive action that betrays the will of the people.
The true threats to our environment come from logging, pollution, 1080 poison, and human infrastructure projects — not from wild horses who have roamed the high country for 200 years. Around the world, progressive conservation acknowledges the role of large herbivores in maintaining biodiversity and preventing wildfires. Why is Australia ignoring this science?
This government’s position is outdated, cruel, and based on misinformation. I refuse to support a leadership that operates on draconian policies instead of modern, compassionate conservation strategies. Be warned: the tide is turning. Australians want ethical and intelligent environmental policies — not extermination.
I demand that you take immediate action to halt the cull and adopt a compassionate and evidence-based approach to wild horse management. I will be watching closely — and voting accordingly.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]
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Premier of New South Wales: The Hon. Chris Minns, MP
- Postal Address: GPO Box 5341 Sydney NSW 2001
- Phone: (02) 7225 6000
- Email: Contact via online form
Minister for Climate Change, Energy, Environment, and Heritage: The Hon. Penny Sharpe, MLC
- Postal Address: GPO Box 5341 Sydney NSW 2001
- Phone: (02) 9230 2741
- Email: Contact via online form
Member for Monaro: The Hon. Steve Whan, MP
- Electorate Office Address: 213 Crawford Street Queanbeyan NSW 2620
- Phone: (02) 6299 4899
- Email: monaro@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Feel free to use these details to reach out and express your concerns regarding the protection of Australia’s wild horses.