Graziers desperate to re-home brumbies before cull ramps-up in Kosciuszko

A Thangool paddock in central Queensland may seem like an unusual place to spot a brumby from Kosciuszko National Park in NSW, but for Moreen Levin and Paul Johnston, they're a sight for sore eyes.

The couple have rehomed 400 brumbies in three years and have recently agreed to take on another load of 35 horses, arriving in the next two weeks.

Although they've managed to find homes for 17 of them, they're still on the hunt for more homes.

They've sacrificed 40ha of their 364ha Droughtmaster breeding business where they turn off around 80 weaners per year, to accommodate brumbies through their rehoming operation, Clearview Brumby Rescue.

The couple started rehoming in 2020, with their first load of 15 brought up following the bushfires.

"They were the ugliest things you've ever seen in your life. They were burnt, wormy, skinny, long hair, just horrendous and now they're the most beautiful horses you've ever seen," Ms Levin said.

The couple are registered rehomers with NSW National Parks. The horses are rounded up and trapped before the couple pay to have them transported into Queensland over two days.

They are looked over by a vet, branded, micro-chipped and stallions are gelded, before being rehomed.

Late last year an aerial shooting program was approved in Kosciuszko after a survey estimated there were between 12,797 to 21,760 wild horses in the park.

By law, the NSW government must reduce the number to 3000 by June 2027.

"We are desperately trying to get as many out as we possible can," Ms Levin said.

"We believe the numbers have been grossly inflated and that brumbies are an important part of Australia's history and need to be protected."

They said they would bring up another load shortly, if they could secure enough homes.

"We only bring them up if and when the season is good, we don't order horses in until we've got hay for them," Mr Johnston said.

According to the couple, the horses took between a week to a month to adapt to their new surroundings.

"I've had some come off the truck as therapy horses and eating out of your hand within 48 hours," Ms Levin said.

The couple spend a lot of time training the horses on property. They've also trained two mobs of mares kept for breeding and retaining heritage lines.

"They're very respectful because mob mentality is extremely ingrained in them, whereas domestic horses don't necessarily have that anymore. These guys have a natural respect and understanding,"Ms Levin said.

They also spend time breaking in the horses, or otherwise, invite their new owners to train them.

"It is a totally different method to domestic horses, you have to read what your horse is telling you and don't push the boundaries, you push and they'll fight you harder than before," Mr Johnston said.

"They'll take extra time. That's why so many people break them in themselves. If you send them to a breaker, and they take the time to do what's needed you'll go broke.

"You just do little steps at a time, stay inside the safety zone with them."

The couple said they'd seen children put brumbies under saddle just months out of the wild.

"We have a little girl in the Brumby Springsure Challenge this year, and she's eight and already using her horse in clinics, mustering, campdrafting, everything, and she only got her in July last year," Ms Levin said.

They have also supplied another local man with a stallion around nine years old. The horse was able to compete in both the brumby and stockman's challenge in the same day just six months out of the wild.

The re-homing process is stringent, with interviews conducted beforehand.

There are also fees taken to cover the vet bills and expenses, but they do not make profit on the operation.

They take donations if offered and often have the support of volunteers to help feed and water the horses.

The couple said they spend $10,000 out of pocket per year to transport horses up and deliver them around the country on their truck.

They've delivered horses all the way to Newcastle and have helped organise transportation for horses into Tasmania.

"If we get to their place and we've been fed lies, we don't leave them. We've gone to so much trouble and it's so much work and money to save them, we're not just going to dump them and move on," Mr Johnston said.

"We have an agreement with people that they're not to load them off onto the sale market without contacting us first. We understand circumstance's change, but we will have brumbies back and find them a new home.

"We lose money on every brumby we have, but it's our passion. Call it a hobby, it's a business, but we're saving brumbies which is what we want to do.

"It's better than sitting at home, watching TV and drinking beer," he said.