The Guy Fawkes Heritage Horse Association Inc.

 The History of the horses from the Guy Fawkes River National Park spans to nearly 200yrs. The below paragraphs tell the story of how these horses arrived and subsequently, thrived in the park. The history of these horses is very interesting and explains how the wild horses of the Guy Fawkes came to reach such high populations.

The Brumbies of the Guy Fawkes River National Park, now known as Guy Fawkes Heritage Horses, have an extraordinary history and come from an incredibly beautiful area. The Guy Fawkes River National Park, covers more than 62,700 hectares (approximately 155,000 acres) of country near Ebor in northern New South Wales, just off the Waterfall Way.

From the early 1800s to the 1940s, horses in the park were specifically bred for the remount trade. The Colony's first exports were "War Horses" and in 1834 the first horses left Australia consigned to the British Army in India.

The criteria set down by the Army was "that the horse be entire, sound in wind and limb, over 3 years and under 7 years, over 14hh and under 15hh, 1/2 Thoroughbred, and able to carry 17 stone". 

A good horse fitting the above description would fetch the breeder an amount of around 10 pounds, the equivalent of a years wages for most farmers.  Pastoralists intentionally turned out well-bred stallions and mares in the park,  and a mixture of bloodlines were introduced.  Clydesdales were in use in the area for the timber industry and their genetics are clearly evident in many of the horses. Bay horses with white blazes and feathers on their feet clearly show their ancestry. A mob of creamy mares, descendents of Saladin, a sire of historical significance for the Australian Stock Horse Society, were introduced and today the buckskins and palominos are still present, representative of these bloodlines.

Over 320,000 horses left Australian shores with over 120,000 coming from NSW. The direct links with the horses drafted for use by the Australian Light Horse Brigade of World War 1, has secured the unique heritage value of these horses. The ancestors of these brumbies carried the Australian Light Horse Brigade to victory in the great cavalry charge at Beersheba in 1917.

In 1972 the main section of the Park was gazetted and the National Parks and Wildlife Service took over the land and graziers moved out, taking horses with them, but some horses remained. Theses horses were bred to be strong, athletic and to endure the harshness of the Australian bush, and with no local management, it is no surprise that free ranging horses became wild, which resulted in large increases in wild horse populations to the present day.