The Great Emu War In 1932, the Australian government lost a war against the native emu population. The operation that has since become known as the Great Emu War began as an initiative to combat overpopulation of the crop-destroying birds invading farmland around Chandler and Walgoolan. The initial assault on the flightless avians began on November 2 and lasted six days before the military personnel withdrew. Efforts resumed on November 12, but by early December, the feathered foes had adopted guerrilla tactics against the targeted wheat fields, rendering military involvement largely ineffective. The Australian government declined further involvement with the ongoing conflict in 1934, 1943, and 1948, despite the repeated pleas for assistance by the farmers in the area. #pasinggrades