Preserving Our Heritage

Protecting the Legacy of our Brumbies

LATEST NEWS
  1. Latest news as of August 2024- getting closer - We are into all sorts of jobs on Bony Mountain-mostly mowing now.  Got another great lineup for you- some new faces-old faces- & our famous Ukulele School!  Remember our Bony Mountain Festival dates- September 20-21-22 -gates open on 16th- go to www.bonympountainfolkfestival.com - gotta admire those still fighting hard for the Brumbies! For bookings or info- 0493 079 039.  

FINAL MUSTER ​
I should tell you all, that I have been in love with horses all of my life! So no surprise when I heard tales of them being shot/slaughtered/culled? and declared a feral animaI, suddenly realized ! wow! these brumbies belong to all of us ! they are part of our heritage, our history, how can they be destroyed? what the hell is going on? Okay so now can you help please?  by checking on any brumbies/wild horses?in your area. find out the stories of how they got there? what stallions were there? do you know the bloodlines? for example I've been told by one Victorian ,that one of the Melbourne Cup winners ,maybe Archer? or maybe his colt? ran with the brumby mob- actually the Man from Snowy river story does confirm that (the colt from Old Regret) had got away? so I'm sure there were some serious quality bloodlines involved in the mob! I've already got dribs & drabs from some of you! but it is so critical that we record all this knowledge in one place! hopefully this web site! At some stage I am hoping a book can come out of all this! We are are talking huge numbers -200,000 remounts/horses gathered from all over Australia. -being used also as /stock horses/carriage horses/people were not breeding their own horses back 100/200 years ago- Another contact has assured me that (Suffolk Punch) blood was introduced at one point-to another Victorian mob! also some Clydesdale blood ,I find all this fascinating & I hope you all agree. An original photo of the big muster for world war 1.

THE MIST
THE MIST 
I think I see them through the mist ,are they really there
I think I hear them gallop down ,those ridges stark & bare
The little colts are playing, and the fillies oh, so gay
Their little whinnies on the breeze,they sound so far away
I think I see them coming now ,or do I imagine that
To see the stallions & the mares, all sleek and shiny fat

Was it my imagination that the mob came ambling past
Was it my imagination ,were they coming slow or fast

But I think I see them through the mist, or maybe just my tears
Will we see them run again ,in spite of all our fears

I dream of mobs of brumbies, I see them on the brow
I dream they'll be a sight to see, one hundred years from now

Norma O'Hara Murphy

Please leave a comment on the web site! when you have looked through! appreciate your feedback!

  • Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

I want to make this site as accurate as possible- so I invite you to contribute , and please leave your details so I can contact you! I'm after early history from where you live! old photos, or if you have a worthy story to tell -you'd like to share ! MY LATEST POEM!

What is a Brumby
What is a Brumby! well you might ask
 He's a legend,an Aussie, he's up to the task! 
 He can gallop all day with a bloke on his back , 
Over deserts or mountains, & never look back .
 He is game & unflinching when bullets whip past .  
He'll carry you home he is strong & he's fast. 
In 1915, thru the bloody world war 
This horse was our hero saved lives by the score 
But all this is forgotten by those who would say 
Now he is a feral no place can he stay! 
Let me say to these fools in the Canberra cluster  
Our brumbies will stay for that big final muster 
Their spirit will live in this land we call home
We''ll never forget where the wild Brumbies roam 
So what is a Brumby, well I reckon you know
He is a hero, with medals to show 
With statues & monuments throughout the land  
Salute to our heroes, our Brumbies ,last stand!

  written by Norma O'Hara Murphy (August 2024) 
SAVING OUR HERITAGE
I invite you all to please send me any of your stories of the brumbies- the Lighthorses, the lighthorsemen, war stories, but in particular tales of some of the breeding, the old stallions who have had an influence on who the brumby is today!  If we don't gather all this up & save it- most of it will be lost. So obviously this is definately not a brumby- but here I am in Celebrity Cutting in Tamworth-way back in 1993 -on this great little Qtr horse-

OUR BRUMBY DIARY 
Norma O'Hara Murphy is the Author & creator of this web site , a Singer/Songwriter, dedicated lover of horses.  I am inspired by  other like minded Brumby groups- dedicated people who (like me) are fighting to save them. If I am using your photos- please let me know so I can credit you!  Please bear in mind this site is still under construction. So many of us are working hard to support the preservation of our Heritage horses. so this Web Site  is my contribution- also I've written a special song!  Kosciuszko . And I believe like a lot of others- they are indeed a heritage horse- having evolved from over 100 years from some of the best bloodlines. With bloodlines- of our first imported Thouroughbreds/Timor ponies/Heavy horses/Carriage horses and the best of our Stock Horses- bred by Station owners, our Pioneers, Early settlers, even our Bushrangers. I have been told of many of our First World war Diggers who turned out their beloved stock horses -until they returned! Well, a lot never returned, and so there are some great bloodlines among these (so called wild horses) - Back in 1915 - until the end of the war approx 200,000 remounts were needed- and shipped over to the bloody battles. Never to return -now here we are in 2023 & behold ! suddenly they are declared feral animals- to be shot, slaughtered, gotten rid of by any means? well a lot of us have other ideas! Norma grew up with Clydesdales-so here she is with Matilda- below-songs I have written dedicated to our Heritage
About The Website
Bony Mountain Brumbies is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the history and legend of the Australian Brumby. Our website showcases these magnificent heritage horses, paying homage to their rich heritage and the role they have played in shaping our culture. From their rugged strength to their gentle nature, the Brumbies have evolved into a very special breed.  From the Mountains to the Outback! Join us on a journey into the world of these iconic horses, as we explore their captivating stories and promote their cause,  Discover the history and be inspired by their enduring legacy. Learn more about these unique horses and the efforts being made to safeguard their future. While the Beaurocrats & the fanatics, try to exterminate them, hundreds of groups are fighting to save them. We hope & pray someday soon the powers that be! will learn to embrace the heritage and honor the legend of the Australian Brumby. join us on this Web Site- we invite you to leave a comment!  
STALLIONS
Poster Boy 
Poster Boy -has been named -for obvious reasons, what a great type he is - 
STALLIONS 
KOSCIUSKO , my idea of a special Brumby! I only hope he continues to survive! What a quality example he is -beautiful bone- lovely head, great colour, I'd be happy to breed a few more like him!

STALLIONS
SABLE - a Taffy Stallion situated in a certain area of Kosciosko National Park- amazing mane ! there are quite a few very distinctive Stallions- who invariably leave their mark!

STALLIONS
This is a painting- but what a magnificent horse! more info coming!

STALLIONS
STEEL GRAY- what a spectacular horse-great body, great bone, these blokes are such qaulity- heartbreaking to consider some will be gone!

STALLIONS
TAFFY BOY- not quite the quality of some of the other boys- but a nice boy!

STALLIONS
This boy - KOORYONG- he actually is on my video (Kosciusko) what a magnificent specimen he is! I only hope & pray these beautiful boys survived the killing fields! He lives in the Kooryong , such a good type. You can see the TB influence with this bloke!

OUR WAR HORSES
While the (so called Environmentalists) have declared our Horses (feral) all around our great Country there are monuments & tributes to these amazing horses! There are some Legendary tales from the wars- the story of (Bill the bastard) is one. My mate Tom McIvor )wrote a great poem! plus an entire Album dedicated to our Australian Horses,Horsemen- Recently on FB found all this pictorial of the Memorial ! It is an exceptional tale- here are the photos!
Bill the bastard
These photos-depict the memorial to this wonderful war hero- who was known as- Bill the bastard! Rescued 5 troopers in all-full gallop off the battlefield- he was a big horse-with a big heart- now immortalised

WAR HORSES

Our Australian Light Horses are legendary- ever since I can remember I heard stories of the Battles, the love the Troopers had for their horses was well known -the devastation of them having to leave their faithful mounts! it is well documented -the decision to put down their best mates! rather than leave them to an unknown future- It would seem our Politicians have not changed much! just imagine after such an amazing campaign -so many tales of their sacrifice- their heroic deeds-during battles- during the entire campaign! All over Australia we erect Tributes, Memorials, Statues, and remember their sacrifice, their participation in this horrible war. How quickly our Politicians forget , but we don't, every year on Anzac Day - our entire nation come together- Australians are very patriotic ,very loyal people, so it is beyond me to consider this current situation. These people who have declared they are now feral? what planet are they from? how can they ignore us? the Australian people?  I was upset to discover that only resident Victorians are eligible to sign any of the Government petitions? to discover public sentiment on the fate of our Brumbies!  What a fiasco- when these horses belong to the entire Nation! They belong to all of us, so it makes me very sad, and very mad that this is happening! 

Our legendary Light horses (archives)

MOUNTAIN BRUMBIES

The most ridiculous part about all this from an environmental aspect, is that these horses have been part of the landscape for nearly 200 years! On Kosciusko in particular, the mountain cattle & the horses keep the regrowth down, prevent all that long grass & fuel from taking over. These ignorant bureaucrats are just ignoring our history- as well as our heritage and seem oblivious to the facts, totally void of common sense! Sadly the feral s they should be targeting are the feral pigs! they do serious damage! Foul up water ways , root up valuable plants, no doubt destroying valuable habitat for any ground nesting birds, frogs etc

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THE HEAVY HORSE MIX

No doubt that TBs were the main influence back in the early days- strong, fast, but as we grew as a Nation ,so too did our expectations, Even Timor ponies were part of the mix back in the day, a lot of the smaller horses would trace back to these breeds, from the Scottish Highlands , with the result of a very special horse indeed.

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OUR WAR HORSES
  • I know most of you reading this feel as I do about our Heritage horses-our brumbies. Lest we forget the huge part they played in first world war-lest we forget they carried many a soldier off the battlefield-under fire- well sadly it seems our Politicians have forgotten! although I tend to think a lot of them live in a bubble- don't know and don't care! no respect for our past- no respect !fullstop. Be very frightened of people who have no regard for the past? because they are bound to repeat those mistakes in the future! 

STALLIONS
It seems to me that there are a few very significant stallions who have been the major influence on some of these mobs! In Kosciusko- in the Kooryung- Barmah Forest-and other places! I have gathered photos on Facebook- of Poster Boy! one of the Kooryung boys- I like to imagine somehow these wonderful Stallions are still there? I cannot even imagine the sheer stupidity of destroying such quality animals!  
THIS MAGNIFICENT BOY- (black boy) photo courtesy of Michelle & Ian. (Snowy Mountain Photography)