The Great Emu War: Australia’s Embarrassing Defeat Against Nature

Can you imagine a war where the Australian military fought against emus and lost? Sounds too strange to be true, but the Great Emu War of 1932 is a peculiar chapter in Australian history that exactly captures this scenario. Post World War I, Australia faced a great challenge, not from an enemy nation, but from about 20,000 emus that invaded the Western Australian region of Campion, in search of water and food¹. These large, flightless birds began to destroy crops, causing significant problems for the local farmers.

The farmers, many of whom were World War I veterans, sought help from the government, leading to the deployment of the military in November 1932, equipped with machine guns². The intent was clear: to reduce the emu population and protect the farmers’ livelihoods. However, what was anticipated to be a straightforward mission quickly turned into an embarrassing defeat for the forces involved.

The operation, led by Major G.P.W. Meredith, encountered unexpected difficulties. The emus proved to be remarkably resilient; they could withstand direct hits from gunfire and continue running at high speeds⁴ . The soldiers also faced the challenge of the birds splitting into small groups, making them harder to target. After several days of the campaign, it became evident that the military efforts were ineffective. The soldiers found that for every emu killed, a significant amount of ammunition was spent, making the operation unsustainable.

Despite repeated efforts and various tactics, the Great Emu War ended in December 1932, with the emus emerging victorious⁵. The military withdrew, and the emu population continued to thrive, much to the farmers’ despair. This event became a source of amusement and embarrassment in Australian history, showing that even the most well-planned human endeavors could fail against nature’s unpredictability.

The Great Emu War serves as a reminder that nature cannot always be controlled and that sometimes, even the mightiest can be thwarted by the seemingly weak. The emus’ victory against the Australian military forces is not only an oddity but a testament to the indomitable spirit of the natural world. Let this chapter of history inspire us to approach challenges with humility and respect for the forces of nature we seek to navigate.

1. https://medium.com/the-coffeelicious/remembering-the-great-emu-war-7a3dd18aa790 [↩]
2. https://medium.com/war-is-boring/australia-once-lost-a-war-to-the-mighty-emu-fd0f07203ca4 [↩]
3. https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/that-time-aussies-fought-great-emu-war/ [↩]
4. https://www.quora.com/Why-are-emus-able-to-survive-despite-their-perpetual-confrontations-with-the-residents-and-the-farmers-in-Western-Australia-especially-the-Great-Emu-War [↩]
5. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Emu-War [↩]