Coffin Bay Brumby Preservation Society Inc

The story of South Australia’s Coffin Bay Ponies commenced in 1839 when a ship called the Abeona landed the Hawson family at Happy Valley. With them were 60 Timor ponies, the ancestors of the Coffin Bay ponies, bought by Captain Hawson from the Rajah of Sumatra,  for breeding on the Eyre Peninsula.  Later, In 1847, Hawson moved his Timor ponies to a new lease at  Coffin Bay Run to stock his new pastures and to expand his growing business. 

In 1841,Edward John Eyre purchased a pregnant Timor pony mare to take with him on his expedition across the Nullabor Plain to Esperance.  The mare foaled at Streaky Bay and the foal accompanied the famous explorer on his expedition.    

And so the history of the Coffin Bay Pony in Australia began !

Fast forward to 1972.  The pastoral history of the Coffin Bay Peninsula came to a close when Coffin Bay Run was ceded by its then owner to the SA Government for use as a National Park.   In the 1980’s  the ponies of the Peninsula faced removal from their long time home as part of the Parks and Wildlife "pest control " program. Concerned locals banded together to form the Coffin Bay Pony Society, a volunteer group dedicated to keeping the ponies in the Park. Negotiations began for a management and control program which would allow the ponies to stay in their home of over 100 years, but in a controlled and managed situation.

In 1999 the Parks and Wildlife's Draft Management Plan and proposed Wilderness Zone again threatened the small herd left in the Park. The Coffin Bay Pony Preservation Society entered into negotiations with authorities about a parcel of land near the Coffin Bay Township  that occupies part of what was the original Hawson property. By the 29th of February 2004 the entire wild herd had been transferred to their new home.  The scenic block dubbed "Brumbies Run"  is an apt name for the  home of the Coffin Bay Pony. Lookout vantage spots provide sweeping views of Kellidie bay and excellent spots are available to view the ponies without disturbing them.

The historic ponies have settled in well to their new land however an intensive fund raising program is now necessary to pay for the land purchased by the CBBPS.

All donations and money from fund raising goes towards the $300,000 to purchase this land and for caring for the Coffin Bay Brumby herd.

The Easter Auction

A major event on the CBBPS calendar is the Easter Saturday Auction of young horses.  Nowadays, some of the Coffin Bay horses are sold outside the auction, however, it remains the main avenue for the public to own a genuine Coffin Bay Pony.

In 2010, perfect weather and a crowd of about 300 made the Auction a great success.  ABA president Jill Pickering was a special guest and officially opened the day’s festivities.   

Nine Brumby’s went up for auction with eight selling on the day. The field included three 2 ½  year old fillies and six 1 ½ year old geldings. The average bid was $713 and went as high as $1000.

The Society had enquiries prior to auction and sold an additional five 2 ½ year olds and, following the auction, Jill Pickering purchased a lovely gentle young gelding named Dusty. As a result, all 14 Coffin Bay Brumbies up for sale were sold.   Four of the older ones were under saddle within four days of arriving at their new homes.

The Brumby’s have gone far and wide with a little filly (No 4) going to a 7 year old girl in Wollongong NSW. 

As they did last year, CBBPS’s head stockman, Mr. Rod Fraser (at right) and his wife Vicky purchased a brumby to donate to the Royal Flying Doctor’s Service fund raising raffle at the Nonning gymkhana in May 2010.   In 2009, the raffled brumby went to a little girl who was badly burnt at a family BBQ. The Brumby has given her a reason to get up each morning.

Dusty and Jill