Australian Teamster Donkeys

A Rare Breed of Australian Origin

Australian Teamster donkeys (Photo by Pat Emmett)

      Donkeys from which the Australian ‘Teamster’ evolved were mainly introduced into Australia in the nineteenth century, especially for use in the hot, dry, harsh interior of the continent. Donkeys in Australia had a mixture of blood from British as well as Nubian and Arabian strains, all of which were imported into the country in the early period of European settlement.

      With the increasing use of mechanized transport, donkeys largely outlived their usefulness, and many were released, forming feral herds in outback areas.

      When there was an upsurge in interest in donkeys in New Zealand around thirty years ago, a number of these Australian feral animals were imported into this country, where they are generally just called ‘Australian’ donkeys. This event marked the beginning of a donkey revival in New Zealand.

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