Major milestone reached in rebuild of iconic Dog Fence
Work on rebuilding South Australia’s Dog Fence has reached a major milestone.
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The first section of the once-in-a-generation Dog Fence rebuild has been completed at Curnamona Station, in the state’s northeast.
Arrangements for the second stage of the rebuild, including contractors and material supply approvals, are being finalised, with work due to start in August.
The section one rebuild featured 11km of wire mesh, 15km of lap mesh, 60.5km wire, 11km barbed wire and 2000 posts, with a combination of steel droppers and drill rods used.
The new fence is 1.5 metres high, and has been constructed using steel posts and mesh with a 40mm footing on the outside to discourage any animal digging under the fence.
Livestock SA president Joe Keynes said it was pleasing to see the first section completed.
“If we didn’t have an effective Dog Fence, we wouldn’t have a sheep industry in South Australia,” he said.
“We look forward to working with the state and federal government on the completion of the fence rebuild over next four years.”
The second area of work will focus on 115km of fence from Curnamona/Billeroo West corner through to the NSW border.
All up, the $25m project will ultimately lead to 1600-kilometres of fence being upgraded to reduce the number of sheep being killed by wild dogs in the pastoral areas of SA.
The rebuild is estimated to have an economic benefit of up to $113 million over 20 years.
Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone said the fence is the longest continuous fence in the world and limits the impact of wild dogs on the state’s $4.3 billion livestock industry.
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Mr Whetstone said the rebuild project provides extra employment opportunities in the regions.
“SAs component of the 5400km Dog Fence is about 2150km, with approximately 1600km of that length being more than a century old,” he said.
“We are committed to replacing this ageing fence to ensure its continued effectiveness and support pastoralists from the ongoing threat of wild dogs. This vital infrastructure is insurance for the industry’s future prosperity.”