Mclassic Metal Product Page
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 5,614 kilometres (3,488 mi)[1] 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[2] above the Great Australian Bight[3] near Nundroo.[4]
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 s through which dingo offspring have passed[2] and by increased pasture competition from rabbits and kangaroos.
[
edit
]
A portion of the Dingo Fence in in QueenslandThe earliest pest exclusion fences in Australia were created to protect small plots of cropland from the predation by marsupials. In the s and s, introduced rabbit populations began to spread rapidly across southern Australia.
By , a rabbit-proof fence was built. Having been unsuccessful at keeping rabbits out, and more successful at keeping out pigs, kangaroos, emus and brumbies, and as more sheep farms were established, the interest for a dingo-proof barrier increased enough that government funds were being used to heighten and expand the fence. In , an estimated 32,000 km of dog netting in Queensland alone was being used on top of rabbit fences.
Dingo pups found just metres east of the Dingo Fence inPrior to , the idea of a Dingo Barrier Fence Scheme had not come into fruition as a statewide project for which annual maintenance and repair were kept. Since this time, there have been pushes to move away from a method of barrier-exclusion to complete extinction of the dingo and wild-dog cross-breeds. Poisoning the species with compound (sodium monofluoroacetate) baits has been seen as a much cheaper alternative than fence maintenance. A compromise in the form of the continued use of poison and the shortening of the fence from its previous length of over km has been made.
Laws were appointed to protect the fence; jail terms of three months for leaving a crossing gate open, and six months for damage or removal of part of the fence &#; Introduced in , these penalties are still in use today. In as part of the Q150 celebrations, the dingo fence was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as an iconic "innovation and invention".[5]
In December , 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 .[6] 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.[7] A spokesperson for South Australia's Primary Industries and Regions SA stated that approximately 20,000 sheep perished each year before gaps in the fence were sealed, and an expansion of the fence is essential.[7]
[
edit
]
Dingo Fence at Igy Corner, SW of Coober PedyThe 5,614km fence begins in South Australia, where it is named the dog fence, and it enters the NSW border near Broken Hill, where it becomes the state's responsibility and is called the wild dog fence. At Cameron Corner, it swerves north into Queensland and becomes the wild dog barrier fence. It travels the route commenced in the s by the old dingo fence, which was used to drive out dingoes from grazing land to the west and agricultural country in Queensland's Darling Downs.[7]
The 2,500 km (1,553 mi) 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 300 km (186 mi) section of the fence twice every week. There are depots at Quilpie and Roma.[8]
The Queensland Border Fence stretches for 394 km (245 mi) 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 257 km (160 mi) southwards along the border with New South Wales,[9] these two sections are managed by the New South Wales Wild Dog Destruction Board.[10] It then joins a section known as the Dog Fence in South Australia, which is 2,225 km (1,383 mi) long.[1]
[
edit
]
A portion of the dingo fence near Coober Pedy, South AustraliaThe fence varies in construction. Mostly it is made of 180-centimetre (6 ft) high wire mesh, but some sections in South Australia comprise multi-strand electric fence. The fence line on both sides is cleared to a 5 m (5.5 yd; 16 ft) width.[11]
Parts of the Dingo Fence are lit at night by 86 mm (3.4 in) 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.[12] At minor and farm crossings, a series of gates allow vehicles to pass through the fence.[13] 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.[7]
[
edit
]
Distribution map of Australian dingoes. The black line represents the Dingo Fence (after Fleming et al. ).It seems that there are fewer kangaroos and emus on the northwestern side of the fence where the dingoes are, suggesting that the dingoes' presence reduces the populations of those animals.[14] 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.[7]
Believed to have been introduced into Australia by Aboriginal peoples between 4,600 and 18,300 years ago,[15] 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.[16]
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Australia Temporary Fence.
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 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.[7]
Dr Tom Newsome, a researcher at the University of Sydney&#;s global ecology lab, stated that by locking dingoes out, the fence may render unique perception into how they interact with the land. He says, &#;when you look at what happens when you remove an apex predator, there are some negative effects on the ecosystem...We have more herbivores, we have more invasive predators, localised extinctions, there's a negative story around that.&#;[7]
Drone and satellite technology have illustrated how removing dingos changes vegetation growth.[17]
[
edit
]
[
edit
]
Dingo Barrier fence, near Bell, Queensland.
Dingo Barrier fence crossing, near Bell, Queensland.
Dingo Barrier fence sign, near Bell, Queensland, Australia. Sign on gate for stock adjacent to cattle grid.
The fence near Coober Pedy, South Australia
Hingerford, Queensland.
[
edit
]
[
edit
]
Australia is home to some of the longest fences in the world, and have their origins at the turn of the twentieth century. At the time, concerns over invasive rabbits damaging crops and affecting native species saw some regions try to fence out the problem.
This resulted in three large fences built across sections of the country &#; Western Australia&#;s state barrier fence, Queensland&#;s Darling Downs&#;Moreton Rabbit Board fence, and what is now known as the dingo fence.
While this latter fence was relatively unsuccessful at keeping rabbits out, it was able to keep out larger animals. Support from farmers and the government meant that the rabbit fence was upgraded and expanded over time, leading to the current 5,614 kilometre extent of the barrier being reached in the s.
On the inside of the dingo fence, which contains cities such as Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, dingoes were systematically exterminated. This has allowed researchers to examine the effect of the dingoes on the landscape, and how the predator&#;s removal has affected Australia&#;s ecosystems.
For example, populations of kangaroo, rabbits and emu are significantly higher inside the fence than they are outside. Rising numbers of these animals mean that overgrazing is increasingly common, reducing the availability of food for birds such as zebra finches.
In the long term, a lack of dingoes has been linked with changes in soil nutrients, with grazing by kangaroos inside the fence reducing levels of soil phosphorous, carbon and nitrogen which aid plant growth. The fence itself also reduces the ability of animals to migrate over long distances, reducing the spread of seeds across Australia.
There have been some calls to remove the fence to help to restore the area&#;s ecosystems, but with the fence having been around for over a century in one form or another, it&#;s not understood what would happen to the species that are split by it.
The current study aimed to assess how red kangaroos are being affected by the fence as part of ongoing work to understand the true extent of its effects.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Canada Temporary Fence. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.