THE GREAT EMU WAR — KEVIN AND HIS MATES
Three soldiers. Two machine guns. Thousands of emus. What could possibly go wrong?
An A Curious Vantage episode from DidjaKnow Media — storytelling for curious minds aged 9 and up.
Investigation Summary
In 1932, farmers in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt were struggling to protect their wheat. The Great Depression had driven prices down, and a good harvest mattered enormously. Then thousands of emus arrived, searching for food and water.
The birds ate grain, flattened crops, and damaged fences. Openings in those fences also allowed rabbits into the fields. For the farmers, this was a threat to their livelihoods. Some asked the Australian government for an extraordinary form of help: military machine guns.
The government sent Major Meredith and two gunners, equipped with two Lewis machine guns. But emus scattered when startled, and the wide, open landscape made them difficult targets. Driving birds toward the guns, waiting near a dam, and even mounting a gun on a truck all brought difficulties of their own.
The operation was withdrawn, then resumed after farmers called for more help. More birds were killed, but when the military effort ended in December, the wider problem remained.
Alongside these real events, this episode follows Kevin and his mates. Kevin is an imagined emu whose vantage point gives us a playful way to follow the story. His reactions are dramatized; the farmers’ struggle and the military operation form its historical foundation.
So, did the emus win? There was no surrender or victory parade. Some farmers believed the operation helped, while emus continued roaming the district. Behind the famous joke lies a stranger and more complicated story: people trying to save a harvest, three soldiers attempting an unusual assignment, and birds with an entire landscape in which to disappear.
Explore the full Episodes archive for more stories from DidjaKnow Media.
A Moment from the Story
The Reinforcements Arrive
The farmers had asked for military help. When the train arrived, out stepped Major Meredith, followed by one gunner, then another. Three men and two Lewis machine guns to deal with thousands of emus. From his vantage point, Kevin watched the arrival—and he and his mates burst out laughing.
Available Materials
Supporting materials for The Great Emu War — Kevin and His Mates are in development. These include research files exploring the historical evidence and narrated audio editions for general listening and licensed radio broadcast. Explore our Research Files library and Audio Library, or check the options below for their current availability.
Research Files
Research File — Expanded Evidence Pack
An expanded look at the 1932 Emu War, including the farmers’ circumstances, parliamentary records, accounts of the military operation, and the evidence behind the story’s most famous claims.
Research File — Standard Edition
A concise companion to the episode covering the key events, historical sources, and the distinction between documented history and the imagined scenes featuring Kevin and his mates.
Audio Editions
Audio — Public Storytelling Edition
A narrated audio edition of The Great Emu War — Kevin and His Mates, telling the complete story for listeners aged 9 and up. Produced for general listening and offered as a paid digital audio product.
Audio — Radio Broadcast Edition
A broadcast-ready narrated edition of The Great Emu War — Kevin and His Mates, prepared for licensed radio and professional use. The complete story is conveyed through narration, so listeners can follow it without the video.
eBook Containing This Episode
The Great Emu War — The Story Behind the Famous Encounter
An illustrated eBook exploring the 1932 Emu War: the farmers trying to protect their harvest, the government’s unusual response, and the difficulties faced by three soldiers with two machine guns. Historical context and supporting evidence sit alongside Kevin and his mates, with their imagined scenes clearly distinguished from documented events.
The Great Emu War — Kevin and His Mates
