Construction is underway on a 362 kilometre fence which will provide wild dog protection to sheep stations spanning more than 800,000 hectares in the West Gascoyne.
The Carnarvon Rangelands Barrier Fence will encompass six properties, with $986,000 in funding support from the McGowan Government.
Construction of the cell fence is a partnership between State Government and local pastoralists, with pastoralists to undertake ongoing fence maintenance and wild dog control within the cell.
The McGowan Government has provided funding towards three other cell fences across the Murchison and Goldfields as part of the Rangelands Cell Fencing Program, co-funded by the State and Federal governments.
Results from these trial cell fencing sites will be used to assess whether cell fencing is a preferred approach to renewing small livestock enterprises.
As stated by Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan:
"This is a significant milestone for pastoralists in the West Gascoyne, who are among some of the last remaining sheep producers in the rangelands and have suffered from wild dog predation.
"About 50 kilometres of fence has been constructed so far, on the boundary of Wahroonga station in the north-eastern section of the cell.
"According to local pastoralists, this will have an immediate impact on wild dog activity as wild dogs are generally moving into the cell fence area from further east.
"A completed cell fence will allow these producers to remove the wild dogs on their properties, without the risk of further encroachment from areas outside the fence, and rebuild their flocks and their local pastoral industry."
