Emu War: The Birds That Defied Soldiers

Nearly a thousand emus were killed by soldiers using machine guns in Western Australia in 1932, yet the birds emerged as unlikely victors, with their population remaining largely unaffected. The operation, known as the Emu War, stands out for its military-style approach to a wildlife problem, and for the fact that, despite an estimated 2,500 wounded birds, the emu population continued to plague the region's wheat farmers.

After World War I, the Australian government allocated farmland in Western Australia to returning veterans, many of them settling in marginal areas. By 1929, the Great Depression had hit, and wheat prices collapsed. The government promised subsidies to struggling farmers, but failed to deliver, leaving them with little profit and growing frustration. In October 1932, the arrival of about 20,000 migrating emus—attracted by cleared land and new water supplies—pushed the situation to crisis. The birds consumed and destroyed crops, even tearing gaps in fences that allowed rabbits to invade fields, compounding agricultural losses.

A deputation of ex-soldier farmers petitioned the Minister of Defence, Sir George Pearce, for military assistance. Citing the effectiveness of machine guns in the war, they requested their use against the birds. Pearce agreed on the condition that military personnel would operate the weapons, the Western Australian government would fund transport, and the farmers would supply food, accommodation, and pay for ammunition. Pearce also suggested the cull could provide good target practice and help the government appear responsive to regional concerns, particularly amid secessionist sentiment in Western Australia. A Fox Movietone cinematographer was even enlisted to capture the event for the media.

The military effort began on 2 November 1932, under the command of Major Gwynydd Purves Wynne-Aubrey Meredith of the Royal Australian Artillery, accompanied by Sergeant S. McMurray and Gunner J. O'Halloran. Armed with two Lewis guns and 10,000 rounds, they found the emus difficult to ambush. On the first day, settlers tried herding about 50 emus into range, but the birds split into small groups, evading the gunfire. Later that day, perhaps a dozen birds were killed. On 4 November, Meredith set an ambush at a dam and waited for a flock of over 1,000 emus. The gun jammed after only 12 kills, and the remaining birds scattered.

As the operation continued, soldiers noted that emus seemed to develop leaders—tall, black-plumed birds acting as sentinels. Attempts to mount a Lewis gun on a truck failed: the vehicle couldn’t keep up with the birds, and the rough ride made accurate shooting impossible. By 8 November, 2,500 rounds had been fired, with estimates of 50 to 500 birds killed. At this point, negative media coverage and parliamentary criticism prompted Pearce to withdraw the troops.

Publicly mocked in parliament—Senator James Dunn called Pearce the "Minister of the Emu War"—the effort seemed an embarrassment. Yet, with emus continuing to damage crops, farmers again appealed for help. On 12 November, Pearce authorized a second deployment, and by 10 December, Meredith claimed 986 emus had been killed using 9,860 rounds, with a further 2,500 wounded—a figure disputed by later historians.

Despite these efforts, local farmers continued to request military intervention in later years, including 1934, 1943, and 1948, but were refused. Instead, the government relied on a bounty system that paid out for 57,034 emu carcasses in just six months of 1934. Barrier fencing also became a preferred long-term solution, and by the 1950s, half a million rounds of army ammunition were released for farmers’ use.

Word of the Emu War reached the United Kingdom by December 1932, sparking protests by conservationists, who called it an "extermination of the rare emu." In parliamentary debate, Prime Minister Joseph Lyons was asked whether soldiers would receive medals for their efforts.