Tourists flee popular Aussie holiday spot after ‘distressing’ discovery
Locals say the smell has turned off people travelling to the area, and they fear they won't return.
WARNING — DISTURBING CONTENT: Fed-up locals living in one of Australia's most popular tourist hotspots say the area is so overrun with animal corpses that the "overwhelming stench" and "sight of indescribable cruelty" will turn off future visitors.
NSW's Snowy Mountains sees hundreds of thousands of tourists travel through the region every year, and while it's a major destination for skiing and boarding, the spot is also popular with hikers and adventurists. It is also is well-known for its abundance of wild horses — known as brumbies.
Technically considered a pest due to skyrocketing population numbers, which have been on a sharp incline since the 1990s, wildlife activists, locals and the NSW government have long been at odds over how to manage the animals that have resided in the The Kosciuszko National Park for centuries.
Kosciuszko brumbies long a contentious topic of debate
Currently, the state is required by law to reduce Kosciuszko brumby population to 3000 by 2027 — which will be accomplished largely by shooting them. It's predicted there are between 14,500 and 23,500 horses at present — though locals against the cull contest that figure.
Simple image of unique Aussie environment reveals deadly problem
'Horrific' find in NSW national park as beloved brumbies shot dead
Residents divided over push to allow all pets on public transport
Council sheds light on giant tyre washed ashore with 80 dead animals inside
Those in favour of the killing cite the negative impact the horses have on the extremely fragile local landscape, while those against it claim brumbies are an iconic symbol of Australia's rich history and, despite being shot, they often remain alive for hours afterward and die a slow, agonising death.
Many now say however, that regardless of which side of the argument you align with, the sight of their rotting corpses is at best extremely confronting, and at worst, a reason people will steer clear of the area for good.
Groups of hikers that came across the rotting carcasses at the weekend were so traumatised by the sight and odour they were forced to leave the park, residents claim.
Devastated locals speak out
Locals Ian and Michelle Brown, who run the Facebook page Snowy Brumby Photography Adventures, claimed to have personally counted the bodies of over a 150 horses, which are scattered all around prominent hiking tracks.
"Ian went up alone today for a walk, I didn’t want to go, I just didn’t want to see any more dead brumbies," Ms Brown said of the confronting scenes. "I saw 131 dead brumbies on Saturday, no more."
"Ian...found another 23 dead brumbies on his walk. So that takes our tally to 154 in just two days of exploring up there. Other groups have been hiking there, finding other dead brumbies in other areas."
On social media, hundreds of Aussies have weighed in on the controversial debate, all appearing to have vastly differing views on the topic.
Elsewhere, NSW Premier Chris Minns is currently campaigning to be able to shoot brumbies from the air – including in areas of the park open to the public.
MP claims almost 300 killed in one weekend
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, NSW Animal Justice MP Emma Hurst said that the number of dead brumbies in the area actually exceeds the 150 counted by residents, and is in fact closer to 300.
"Over the October long weekend, members of the public were shocked to enter Kosciuszko National Park and discover that hundreds of brumbies had been shot and killed," Ms Hurst said. "All of which have been left behind to rot in the Park, including near campgrounds and in waterways.
"This mass killing has absolutely devastated the local community, many of whom have called my office in distress and confusion as to why the NSW government would order this shooting — especially while the brumby population methodology remains under serious scrutiny, and while an independent recount is meant to be underway."
Ms Hurst said one shattered local that approached her described the scenes as "like a battlefield", while another said she would "never forget the smell" of the dead bodies.
Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new weekly newsletter showcasing the week’s best stories.
