Full Breakdown
Court Halts Aerial Brumby Cull in Yuraygir National Park
8/25/2026, 11:45:20 PM
Core Event: Emergency Injunction Suspends Aerial Culling Operations
Animal-rights activist Carmen Jackson lodged an urgent injunction at 1 a.m. on Monday in the New South Wales Land and Environment Court to stop a planned aerial cull of feral horses, pigs, foxes and deer in Yuraygir National Park. Justice Rachel Pepper adjourned the matter, ordering that all aerial, ground-shooting and trapping activities be suspended until a final hearing on September 9.
Background & Context
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) advertised a five-day pest-management operation on August 3, closing the park from 6 a.m. for a week. The operation targeted feral horses (brumbies), pigs, foxes and deer, species classified as invasive. Management of brumbies has long been contentious, pitting heritage and animal-welfare arguments against ecological concerns about habitat degradation.
Key Figures & Groups
- Carmen Jackson – activist who filed the injunction.
- Justice Rachel Pepper – judge overseeing the case.
- Nicholas Sandstrom – legal officer for the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
- National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) – agency that planned the cull.
- Richie Williamson – state MP for Clarence (National Party) and opponent of the cull.
- Professor David Watson – Charles Sturt University ecologist commenting on the impact of feral horses.
Timeline
- August 3 – NPWS advertises the cull and closes the park.
- 1 a.m. Monday – Jackson files the injunction; Justice Pepper hears the application.
- 9 a.m. Monday – Court adjourns to allow the department to respond.
- September 9 – Final hearing scheduled.
Data & Statistics
- Planned duration: five days of aerial shooting, plus ground shooting and trapping.
- Target species: feral horses, pigs, foxes and deer.
Official Statements & Responses
- Justice Pepper emphasized “urgency” and noted the department’s “good-faith” undertaking to halt the operation while evidence is gathered.
- Nicholas Sandstrom said the department would suspend all trappings and related activities until the September 9 hearing.
- State MP Richie Williamson welcomed the pause, reiterating his opposition to the cull.
Criticism & Opposition
- Carmen Jackson argued that NPWS lacks statutory authority to conduct aerial brumby culls and that the operation would cause “irreparable harm” to the brumby population.
- Professor David Watson highlighted ecological damage, stating that feral horses compete with native wildlife for food and resources and “wreck the place.”
- Richie Williamson expressed relief that the cull was halted, emphasizing community concerns about the north-coast brumby population.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The undertaking has been given in good faith by the department, again at short notice and I do think the matter needs to be dealt with quickly for your sake, the animals in question and the department,” — Justice Pepper
What’s Next
The court will hear evidence on statutory authority for aerial culling and the ecological arguments surrounding feral horse management at the September 9 hearing.
