A NATIONWIDE campaign protesting wild horse culling in Kosciuszko National Park reached Midland, as more than 200 demonstrators gathered in the town centre to demand a halt to the NSW government’s aerial shooting programs.

The demonstration formed part of a coordinated series of protests held across Australia, including Dunsborough, Adelaide, Sydney, and Melbourne.

Local horse owners, community members, and veterans gathered on August 1, the official birthday of horses, to express concern over the use of lethal control measures.

Event organiser Kim Nilsson said the Midland rally was to raise awareness regarding the welfare and preservation of Australian brumbies.

“I organised it so that people could meet face-to-face, and so I could deliver a speech explaining the facts,” she said.

Recent official estimates claim between 6476 and 16,411 wild horses roam Kosciuszko National Park.

Under its controversial management plan, the NSW government is working towards a target of fewer than 3000 brumbies across the park by mid-2027.

Ms Nilsson disputes the official figures, claiming the rapid population jump is biologically impossible.

“A mare can only give birth to one foal a year, so it is physically impossible for the population to double or triple in that timeframe,” she said.

The rally protested against current management practices, as they argued that non-lethal options are being overlooked by NSW government authorities.

“There are other humane ways to manage the numbers,” Ms Nilsson said.

“You just can’t shoot a horse humanely from a helicopter, no matter how good you are.

“There are sanctuaries and people willing to take these horses and rehome them, and fertility control works and is a humane option.

“But the government would rather spend nearly a million dollars shooting them from helicopters.”

Attendees made passionate pleas to the community, waving signs at passing traffic along Great Eastern Highway.

“There were men and women coming up to me crying because of what’s been going on,” Ms Nilsson said.

“It’s not just horsey people – it’s everybody, because everyone who has a connection with Australia and knows its history is affected.”

Ms Nilsson said she hopes the strong local turnout in Midland will help build nationwide momentum against the aerial shooting operations and protect a crucial part of the nation’s heritage.

“These horses are direct descendants of our original Waler stockhorses, the ones our earlier pioneers used to build this nation,” she said.

“All we can do is just hope our voices are heard, and the government makes sense of it.

“Otherwise, we will lose our heritage, and our identity forever.”