The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) within the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) developed this strategy to guide the provision of improved horse riding opportunities in national parks. The strategy provides a framework to improve horse riding opportunities over the short, medium and longer term.
The strategy also proposes the establishment of a pilot program to trial horse riding in 5 wilderness locations, subject to amendments to the relevant parks’ plans of management. The pilot program, set up as the Wilderness horse riding trial has progressed.
The strategy acknowledges that while there are social benefits of increasing horse riding in national parks, there are also potential environmental and social impacts. It explains ways in which OEH intends to manage risks of horse riding and minimise impacts on park values, including by ensuring horse riding opportunities are provided in appropriate locations, primarily on established management trails.
