Dingo Fence

The Dingo Fence or Dog Fence is a pest-exclusion fence in Australia to keep dingoes out of the relatively fertile south-east part of the continent (where they have largely been exterminated) and protect the sheep flocks of southern Queensland.

One of the longest structures in the world, it stretches from Jimbour on the Darling Downs near Dalby through thousands of kilometres of arid land ending west of Eyre peninsula on cliffs of the Nullarbor Plain above the Great Australian Bight near Nundroo.

It has been partly successful, though dingoes can still be found in parts of the southern states. Although the fence has helped reduce losses of sheep to predators, this has been countered by holes in fences found in the 1990s through which dingo offspring have passed

In December 2023, construction began on a 32 km extension to the fence, which closes the gap between the NSW and South Australian border fences. It is expected to be completed in late 2024. Though researchers claim that extending the fence would be a "step backwards", because the fence was initially established so that landowners "could legally keep First Nations people off the land. It has a violent history and it hasn’t really been acknowledged in these terms", according to Dr Justine Philip, who has a PhD on dingoes at the University of New England.

The section of the fence in Queensland is also known as the Great Barrier Fence or Wild Dog Barrier Fence 11. It is administered by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. The Wild Dog Barrier Fence staff consists of 23 employees, including two-person teams that patrol a section of the fence twice every week. There are depots at Quilpie and Roma.

The Queensland Border Fence stretches for westwards along the border with New South Wales, into the Strzelecki Desert. The fence passes the point where the three states of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia meet (Cameron Corner). At this point, it connects with the South Australian Border Fence, which runs for southwards along the border with New South Wales, these two sections are managed by the New South Wales Wild Dog Destruction Board. It then joins a section known as the Dog Fence in South Australia, which is long.

Parts of the Dingo Fence are lit at night by cold cathode fluorescent lamps which are alternately red and white. They are powered by long life batteries which are charged by photovoltaic cells during the day. At minor and farm crossings, a series of gates allow vehicles to pass through the fence. Where the fence intersects major roads and highways, cattle grids are used to allow high-speed vehicles through.

Maintenance of the fence on the NSW side is managed by a team of 13 staff who manage portions of the fence between 60km and 100km, where they carry inspections every Monday and Friday. They are paid between $26 and $31 an hour with accommodation. Although the fence has been useful for protecting livestock against dingoes, ecologists opine that the fence is a colonial legacy that is more harmful than helpful. the dingo's status as a native or introduced species in Australia has been a controversy. According to Mike Letnic of the University of New South Wales, the dingo, as Australia's top predator, has an important role in maintaining the balance of nature. Where dingoes had been excluded by the fence, Letnic found reduced biodiversity, with fewer native mammals.

Although the fence has helped reduce the loss of sheep to predators, the exclusion of dingoes has allowed for increased pasture competition from rabbits, kangaroos and emus. In a 2024 report conferred to the lands minister, Steve Kamper, the board chair, Andrew Bell, stated that fewer than 10 wild dogs were reported outside the fence, with a full review of the NSW side of the fence accomplished and shown to be in "very good order". Furthermore, Department of Regional NSW spokesperson stated that the fence is "one of a range of tools used in the fight against wild dogs and other biosecurity threats", since it prevents the entry of many different animals, not just dingoes.

Gallery

File:Dingo Barrier fence, near Bell, Queensland.jpg|Dingo Barrier fence, near Bell, Queensland. 2018

File:Dingo Barrier fence crossing, near Bell, Queensland.jpg|Dingo Barrier fence crossing, near Bell, Queensland. 2018

File:Dingo Barrier fence sign, near Bell, Queensland.jpg|Dingo Barrier fence sign, near Bell, Queensland, Australia. Sign on gate for stock adjacent to cattle grid. 2018

Dog fence near Coober Pedy.jpg|The fence near Coober Pedy, South Australia

Dog-proof fence.jpg|Hungerford, Queensland.

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Further reading