Bonrook – Paradise for Australia’s Wild Horses Brumbies Since 1989
The heart-wrenching scenes of the 1980s remain unforgettable: Brumbies — Australia’s wild horses — were mercilessly shot from helicopters. Entire herds in panic, desperate foals beside their dead mothers. These brutal mass shootings were not only tolerated but actively organised by the Australian government — under the pretext that Brumbies spread diseases, especially to cattle.
The operation was driven by parts of the beef industry, which saw the wild horses only as pests and competitors for grazing land. Yet they play an important role in the ecosystem: through their grazing they regulate plant growth, prevent overgrowth, and thereby reduce the risk of bushfires.
Fondation Franz Weber (FFW) responded with determination. In 1987 and 1988, the Swiss animal welfare organization brought the massacres to the world’s attention and launched an international campaign. In 1989 came the decisive step: Fondation Franz Weber purchased the former cattle station Bonrook and created the «Franz Weber Territory Wild Horse Sanctuary».
Fondation Franz Weber’s Wild Horse Sanctuary — two and a half hours south of Darwin, across 495 km² of subtropical bushland — is to date the sole protected reserve in Australia where a significant population of brumbies can safely coexist, roaming freely in their family groups – undisturbed and unhandled.
Around 800 wild horses live at Bonrook today, together with wild cattle, water buffalo, more than 150 bird species and many native animals — all in natural balance.
Bonrook is subject to extreme climatic conditions, with heavy rainfall during the monsoon and long droughts in the dry season, making water a central concern. In recent years, Fondation Franz Weber has built two dams and drilled two waterholes to ensure a year-round water supply for all animals, with another planned for 2026.
FFW continues to rescue horses from the region, both Brumbies and domestic horses in need. Healthy, strong Brumbies are released into the 495 km² natural bushland, while very old, sick or domestic horses spend their new lives in the pastures near the homestead, lovingly cared for by the Station Manager Sam Forwood.
After a 20-year ban on aerial shootings, the iconic Brumbies once again became victims of brutal killing operations in 2023/24 in Kosciuszko National Park in the Australian state of New South Wales. Government agencies and groups such as the Invasive Species Council have long claimed that Brumbies pose an ecological threat, damaging sensitive ecosystems and displacing native species. However, there is no evidence nor any scientific study to support these claims.
Fondation Franz Weber remains firmly committed to protecting the Brumbies. The animal welfare organization collaborates with various Brumby protection groups, raises public awareness about their plight, and supports petitions calling for an end to the killings. The foundation is also supporting the production of an Australian documentary film that aims to reveal the truth about the Brumbies and critically expose the lack of scientific basis for these culls.
Since 1989, Bonrook has been a sanctuary of hope — a safe haven and a symbol of respect for all living beings. The sanctuary has been managed on site by Bonrook Station Manager Sam Forwood since 1996 and, since 2020, in collaboration with and under the direction of FFW Representative Australia and Project Manager Horse Sanctuaries, Viktoria Kirchhoff.
