Against the Avians: The Great Emu War

Written by Emir Taha Macit

The Great Emu War is a historic event that took place in November and December 1932 in Australia. It was a true “Man vs. Nature” scenario, in which the Australian government declared war against emus—a flightless bird species native to Australia—for trampling countless acres of crops and disrupting farmers’ work. This declaration led to the deployment of numerous weapons and resources in a war that would comically end in defeat.

The circumstances leading up to the war were extremely untimely for Australia. The Great Depression was underway, and the government had granted many WWI veterans land to cultivate wheat and other crops. As if the Great Depression itself were not problematic enough, large flocks of emus began migrating to the Campion district, eating and trampling crops while damaging fences, which allowed other vermin to enter farms. Although the authorities had been aware of the destruction emus could cause since 1922—when the birds were classified as vermin—the scale and timing of this outbreak came as an unpleasant surprise.

This quickly turned into a serious problem for the nation’s agricultural production, prompting farmers to plead with the government for assistance. In response, the Western Australian government reportedly deployed a small military detachment equipped with two Lewis light machine guns to exterminate the birds. Their transportation costs were covered by the government, while food and ammunition were paid for by the farmers themselves. The government believed that supporting the farmers would demonstrate its commitment to the welfare of its veterans, but the plan ultimately backfired spectacularly.

The operation proved extremely difficult and grueling for numerous reasons. For one, the terrain was highly unfavorable for heavy equipment. It was rugged, causing vehicles to bounce uncontrollably, which severely limited mobility. This mobility was especially critical due to the speed, unpredictability, and endurance of the emus. Capable of running up to 50 km/h and possessing remarkably tough hides, the birds quickly scattered into small groups when alarmed, making accurate shooting almost impossible. The emus even seemed to develop tactics to evade the soldiers, such as designating one bird to act as a lookout. Moreover, the soldiers frequently struggled with malfunctioning equipment. On one occasion, while attempting an ambush, one of their guns jammed after just a few rounds, ruining the entire opportunity.

Reportedly, after three whole days of engagement, only about 30 emus had been killed. Peaceful alternatives, such as herding, also failed miserably. The discouraging results led to the soldiers’ withdrawal on November 8, but they returned on November 12 after angry protests from farmers. According to the commanding officer, between November 12 and December 10, approximately 986 emus were killed, and at least 2,500 more were injured and later died. These numbers remain controversial and may have been exaggerated to downplay the scale of the embarrassment, though even the official figures appear far too low to justify such a costly and ineffective operation.

After the war ended in disgrace, the Australian government began distributing ammunition to farmers and paying bounties for every emu killed. This approach turned out to be far more effective, with around 57,000 emus reportedly killed over six months. Nevertheless, this did little to quell the ridicule. The entire operation became the subject of mockery both nationally and internationally, with newspapers and articles portraying the event as a farce. Some groups even condemned the actions as inhumane. Over time, several films and documentaries have been produced that humorously depict the absurdity of the war.

In conclusion, the Great Emu War was a conflict that went disastrously wrong for Australia due to unfortunate timing and poor strategy, ultimately resulting in national embarrassment. Although the event was a genuine crisis at the time, it has since become a source of humor. It serves as a lasting reminder that no matter how advanced humanity becomes, there will always be moments when nature triumphs over us.

References:

1. Rebecca M. Kulik, “Emu War”, Britannica, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Emu-War

2. Urvija Banerji, “In 1932, Australia Started an ‘Emu War’— And Lost”, Atlas Obscura, 2016, https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-great-emu-war-australia

3. Kyle Hoekstra, “The Great Emu War: How Flightless Birds Beat the Australian Army”, HistoryHit,  2023, https://www.historyhit.com/the-great-emu-war

4. Greg Beyer, “The Great Emu War: When Australians Lost to Flightless Birds”, The Collector, 2023, https://www.thecollector.com/great-emu-war