By Ellie Busby
How many levels of government does it take to fix a broken fence? Answer: all of them, and it will still take months for the work to begin.
Such is the case for a fence in Epping, which was badly damaged when it was hit by a car on March 15.
The fence just outside Epping railway station that has been broken for months.Credit: Jessica Hromas
The fence, which sits just outside Epping railway station on Langston Place, falls into what has been described as a “grey area”. The City of Parramatta, the local council, says it’s a matter for Transport for NSW, and Transport for NSW has told residents the fence is managed by the council.
Both want the fence to be fixed. Neither are willing to confirm ownership.
What has resulted is the fence remaining unchanged for three months.
The mangled section of the fence sits immediately next to another stretch of fence that was also badly damaged when a car hit it sometime before October 2024. Temporary hazard covering has been placed there ever since.
Liberal Monica Tudehope, the state member for Epping, began receiving complaints from fed-up residents in March, leading her to write to both the council and Transport for NSW to try and confirm once and for all just who the fence belonged to. She said neither of them claimed it.
“In some ways, this is like a real microcosm of why people don’t trust government and get frustrated, because you have two levels of government not taking responsibility, each pointing the finger at each other like that Spider-Man meme, and the fence just not getting fixed,” she said.
“It’s both an eyesore and a safety hazard.”
The federal member for Bennelong, Labor’s Jerome Laxale, also got involved in the fence saga despite Epping no longer falling in his electorate following a redistribution. He shared to an Epping community Facebook page that Transport for NSW would be fixing the fence earlier this week. The repairs ultimately did not take place.
Despite repeatedly sharing updates about the fence in the local Facebook group, Laxale refused to comment to the Herald about the repairs’ current status.
The lack of action inspired some in the community to take matters into their own hands. Earlier this week, the fence was decorated with everything from blankets to stuffed animals and an Elmo soft toy to draw attention to its disrepair. The next day the “public art installation” disappeared.
Members of the Epping community decorated the fence after it had sat in a state of disrepair for almost three months.Credit: Lubka Kovac / Humans of Eastwood Daily
On Friday afternoon, a Transport for NSW spokesperson responded to questions about the tardy repair job.
“Transport for NSW apologises for the delay in repairing the fence on Langston Place outside Epping station,” they said, adding that work on the fence began on Thursday.
Transport for NSW didn’t confirm if it owned the fence. Instead, the spokesperson said the matter is “presently being worked out” between the government agency and council.
Work on repairing the fence was seen taking place on Friday evening.
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.