In a significant development for the South Australian Dog Fence, repairs to sections damaged during the 2022 Central and South Australian Floods will receive a $2.67 million funding boost. This new disaster support comes at a crucial time as the Dog Fence Rebuild project reaches the halfway point of construction.
The funding for flood repairs and a coordinated weed and pest management program on Eyre Peninsula will be jointly provided by the Albanese and Malinauskas Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
The original Dog Fence Rebuild project, launched in 2020, had a budget of $25 million, with contributions from the Federal Government ($10 million), State Government ($10 million), and the South Australian livestock industry ($5 million). Its aim is to rebuild 1600 kilometers of fencing, replacing the more-than 100-year-old fence, which had deteriorated over time due to weather, sand erosion, and the impact of kangaroos, emus, feral camels, and wild dogs.
To date, 800 kilometers of new fencing has been constructed. However, during the floods in January 2022, approximately 1000 kilometers of the fence, stretching from Coober Pedy to Lake Frome, was severely impacted, resulting in breaches in 67 sections of the old fence. Urgent temporary repairs were carried out to ensure its dog-proof status, but this delayed the larger rebuild project.
In 2022, permanent repairs were made to nearly 7 kilometers of the flood-damaged fence, with an additional 18 kilometers of permanent repairs planned for this year.
In areas where the Dog Fence Rebuild has been completed, the combination of new fencing and the integration of other wild dog control methods, such as baiting and trapping, have given landholders the confidence to restock sheep on their properties. Eleven properties, covering an impressive 18,036 square kilometers, have restocked, including Mulyungarie Station, which now proudly boasts 20,000 sheep in its paddocks for the first time in many years.
The Dog Fence Rebuild project, scheduled to be completed in June 2025, is expected to deliver net benefits to the state ranging from $56 million to $113 million over a span of 20 years.
The DRFA funding will not only contribute to flood repairs but will also support a coordinated weed and pest management program on the Eyre Peninsula. The $2 million program, developed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) in collaboration with the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, aims to assist in repairing land management and controlling pests in flood-affected areas. The flooding transported seeds, plant fragments, and sediments, leading to the establishment of new populations of invasive weeds in waterways, erosion gullies, and floodplains. This created an opportunity for pests, including rabbits, to thrive due to an abundance of fresh vegetation.
Over the course of two years, the program will offer workshops and grant programs designed to improve landholders’ capability to identify and eradicate priority weeds and pests. It will also provide funding for subsidized herbicides and equipment, enabling targeted, high-priority weed and pest animal control measures.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, Murray Watt, expressed the Albanese Government’s satisfaction in supporting the Malinauskas Government in aiding farmers’ return to normalcy after the devastating flood event of the previous year. Watt acknowledged the iconic status of the Dog Fence as vital infrastructure for South Australia and highlighted the repairs’ significance in providing farmers with peace of mind, knowing that their livestock will be protected from dingoes and other wild dogs.
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