Wild Brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park
The ongoing brumby debate in Australia has been reignited by photographer Kiki Sjoberg, who released a collection of striking images of wild brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park. Shared through her Instagram page Brumby Strong, these photographs aim to humanise the horses central to this heated discussion.
Sjoberg’s work highlights the individual personalities and family bonds of the brumbies, encouraging a more compassionate and informed conversation on their management. Her intimate portraits capture moments of curiosity, resilience, and companionship among the stallions, mares, and foals.
These images come at a time when the debate over wild brumby management is intensifying across Australia. For some, brumbies symbolize the nation’s pioneering heritage and high-country history. Meanwhile, others view them as an environmental challenge that demands complex management solutions.
Capturing Intimate Moments
Sjoberg has followed and documented many of these horses over the years, capturing their unique stories through her lens. She emphasises, “People often talk about brumbies as numbers, populations or management targets. But when you spend time observing them, you realize each horse is an individual.”
The release of these photographs offers a rare opportunity to pause and reflect on the animals at the heart of one of the nation’s most contentious environmental and animal welfare issues. Discussions surrounding wild horse management continue to generate strong opinions across the country.
For many Australians, brumbies represent a connection to the nation’s pioneering history and high-country heritage. However, others consider them part of an ongoing environmental challenge requiring complex management solutions. Rather than entering the political debate, Sjoberg hopes her work encourages a more informed and compassionate discussion.
As Australia grapples with the future of the brumbies, Sjoberg’s photographs remind us of the living, breathing animals behind the statistics. “Whether people support the current management plans or oppose them, I think we can all agree that understanding what is at stake begins with seeing these horses for what they are,” Sjoberg says.
The collection features intimate portraits of stallions, mares, and foals, capturing moments of curiosity, resilience, and companionship in the Australian high country. While perspectives differ on the future of brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park, the photographs offer a rare opportunity to pause and reflect on the animals at the centre of the conversation.
Sjoberg hopes her work encourages a more compassionate and informed conversation, regardless of where people stand on current management plans. “My hope is that these images encourage people to see them not just as part of a debate, but as part of Australia’s living story,” she notes.
Last updated: 2 June 2026, 2:56 pm
