Cattleman loses bid to stop a massive shooting cull of wild horses to prevent them damaging an alpine national park - but the brumbies could still be saved
- Philip Maguire plans to appeal a decision to shoot and cull brumbies in Victoria
- Mr Maguire claims the public were not consulted over Parks Victoria's plans
- The cull is to help the fragile alpine environment recover after bushfire season
- Parks Victoria said no horse would be shot before June 9 for Mr Maguire's appeal
A cattleman has pledged to appeal a Supreme Court decision to stop the cull of wild horses in the Victorian highlands.
Justice Steven Moore on Friday ruled Parks Victoria were not required to consult the community in their call to shoot the feral animals which are destroying the fragile alpine environment.
'It is clear that the decision to remove the horses from the Alpine National Park was the subject of extensive community consultation before the Action Plan was made and is given effect to by the contents of that plan,' Justice Moore said in his ruling.
Mr Maguire claimed the ancestors of Bogong brumby horses were originally bred on his land and he often feeds them and provides veterinary care.
Parks Victoria said there are about 5,000 feral horses in the Victorian Alps which must be controlled as they are classed as exotic fauna.
An Omeo cattleman has pledged to appeal a Supreme Court decision to stop a cull of wild horses in the the Victorian highlands (pictured)
He has already rescued several horses onto his land and said he has the capacity to host 150 brumbies.
Mr McGuire argued there was no reference the brumbies would be shot in the 2018-2021 Feral Horse Strategic Action Plan, with the public unaware of the shooting plans until a Parks Victoria press release on May 8.
Justice Moore said the organisation received 351 comments on using shooting as a control method, with many supporting the notion as a constructive solution.
'About 80 per cent of those comments supported shooting as a control method on the basis of its efficiency, practicality and humaneness,' Justice Moore said.
Parks Victoria believe shooting is necessary because of a dramatic increase in the numbers of feral horses in the region.
The flora and fauna of the landscape is struggling to rejuvenate after a devastating bushfire season and pressure from the grazing animals.
Mr Maguire's lawyers plan to take the matter to the Court of Appeal and halt the cull, with Parks Victoria noting no horses would be shot before June 9.
The matter will return to court on Friday.
The wild brumbies are putting pressure on the Alpine National Park (pictured) which was devastated in the recent bushfire season
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