Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute
ABN 16 108 583 151
16 Dunmore Lane, Katoomba 2780 NSW
Postal: PO Box 6147, UNSW NSW 1466 Australia
Tel (61) 041 888 3387
www.bmwhi.org.au; r.chapple@bmwhi.org.au
Calls for research on horses in the Blue Mountains National Park
There are approximately 60 feral horses in the Burragorang Valley of the Blue Mountains, which is part
of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. Populations of feral horses need to be controlled
in national parks due to their impacts on the environment. Control of feral horses is social and
politically complex. Since an aerial cull in the year 2000 of hundreds of horses in a northern NSW
national park, which turned into a public relations nightmare for the National park agency, control of
horses has been subject to a policy that bans aerial culling and any ground shooting is avoided.
Unfortunately control of horses by non-lethal means is resource-intensive and generally is unable to
keep populations in check (population increase is about 20% per year).
There is a distinct absence of research into the ecological impacts of the horses in the Blue Mountains,
as well as into their disease status. The sociological aspects of the problem also need attention in
terms of what control measures are feasible from a social perspective, and how any research can
influence policy and management.
Therefore research is needed which can either be undertaken at Honours or Masters or PhD level, and
broadly in the following areas:
- ecological impacts
- disease status
- sociological inquiry
Any research undertaken should be done with the aim of informing policy and management. This
integration of research into policy and management is a key function of the Blue Mountains World
Heritage Institute, so any research would most usefully be undertaken in partnership with the
Institute. Please note there is no funding available to support this research, so the researcher would
need to access financial support through a university or other source. The Institute can collaborate in
securing funds.
Any inquiries can be directed to Dr Rosalie Chapple at the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute at
r.chapple@bmwhi.org.au.
Key references include:
Chapple, R.S. 2005. The politics of feral horse management in Guy Fawkes River National Park, NSW.
Australian Zoologist 33(2): 233-246. Available at (paste link below into your browser or google article
author/name)
http://www.rzsnsw.org.au/Volumes%20of%20RZS%20papers/2005%20vol33(2)/Chapple%20R%20The
%20politics%20of%20feral%20horse%20management%20in%20Guy%20Fawkes%20River%20National
%20Park,%20NSW.pdf
Chapple, R.S., Ramp, D.R., Kingsford, R.T., Merson, J.A., Bradstock, R.A., Mulley, R.C. and Auld, T. 2011.
Integrating science into management of ecosystems in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area,
Australia. Env. Mgmt. 48 (4): 659-674.
English, A.W.E. 2001. A Report on the Management of Feral Horses in National
We acknowledge the Darug, the Gundungurra, the Wanaruah, the Wiradjuri, the Darkinjung and the
Tharawal Nations as the traditional custodians of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area
Parks in New South Wales.
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/pestsweeds/englishReportFinal.pdf
Worboys, G.L. and Pulsford, I. (2013) Observations of Pest Horse Impacts in the Australian Alps,
Canberra, Available at: www.mountains-wcpa.org
Human dimensions of wild horse management in the Victorian Alps:
http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/574147/Background-Paper-2-Humandimensions-of-wild-horses.pdf
http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/574131/Information-Sheet-3-HumanDimensions-of-Wild-Horses.pdf
The Man from Coxs River – a documentary featuring removal of horses from the Blue Mountains in
recent years. http://www.themanfromcoxsriver.com
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/pestsweeds/06582WarragambaWildHorseMgmtPlan.
pdf
2/2