The Minns Labor Government has filled the critical 32-kilometre wild dog fence gap along the South Australian border north west of Broken Hill after having been left incomplete for many years under the previous Coalition government.
In addition, the NSW Government and the South Australian Government can also announce they have signed an agreement with which will see up to 290kms of new dog fencing built on the border further south by the South Australian Government.
The completion of the 32km gap is part of the Minns Government's more than $1 billion biosecurity plans designed to protect and secure the State's $20 billion primary industry sector from invasive pests and diseases.
Despite being committed to by the former Liberal National Government multiple times between 2019 and 2023 construction never commenced. Following the election of the Minns Labor Government the project was fast tracked with construction beginning that same year.
The 32 km gap has now been completed with around 8,000 star picket fence posts, 77,000 square metres of steel mesh, and 18 Olympic swimming pools worth of clay capping during the 18-month remote desert construction project.
NSW and South Australia have now also signed a historic agreement which will see The Dog Fence Board of South Australia deliver and maintain up to 290kms of new dog fencing.
The Dog Fence Board of South Australia will lead the design and construction of the new fence and assume responsibility for its maintenance.
The Board's experience building and maintaining dog fences across South Australia, as well as their success in reducing wild dogs in the south of that state, makes it the ideal partner to strengthen wild dog management along the border.
The dog fence is one important tool used by both State Governments to manage wild dogs.
The new fence will increase baiting effectiveness on both sides of the border by controlling wild dog movements and concentrating populations, increasing the likelihood of wild dogs encountering baits.
Last year the NSW Western Local Land Services' baiting program distributed more than 300,000 baits through aerial and ground baiting activities across an area of 6 million hectares.
The NSW Government will continue to provide a wide range of support to help farmers and landholders manage wild dogs in Western NSW.
This program of work includes capacity building for farmers through workshops, field days and one-on-one advice with biosecurity officers, while also coordinating aerial and ground baiting programs.
Closing the priority gap reconnects the existing NSW and South Australian fences, creating a continuous 2,700km fence stretching from the Great Australian Bight in South Australia through to Hungerford on the NSW-Queensland border.
NSW Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:
"The Minns government has built what the former Government failed to deliver over many years.
"I am proud to say our teams have delivered this project, despite the challenges of isolation and weather extremes.
"Discussions with the South Australian Government have shown they are well placed to now take up the baton and complete another 290kms of fence further south along the border to mitigate the impact of wild dogs and other feral pests.
"I welcome the Board's involvement and am pleased that NSW and South Australia are building on our legacy of working together over 130 years to address pest management along our border.
"Our government is committed to biosecurity plus feral and pest animal management, and that is why we have announced a historic $1.05 billion biosecurity budget, as well as $14.7 million for our 2025-26 program for controlling feral pigs and other pest animals."
SA Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Clare Scriven said:
"We're proud that South Australia has supported New South Wales throughout this vital project, and we now look forward to leading the next stage in strong partnership with our neighbours.
"This new work builds on the success of the $29 million rebuild of 1,600 kilometres of the SA Dog Fence, which has been managed with great results.
"That project alone has already seen more than 30,000 sheep returned to South Australian pastoral stations where wild dogs once made sheep grazing impossible.
"Reducing wild dog pressure directly supports local producers by preventing stock losses, reducing control costs, and improving animal welfare."
Chair of the South Australian Dog Fence Board, Geoff Power said:
"The South Australian Dog Fence Board will oversee both the construction and ongoing maintenance of the fence extension project.
"This extension will strengthen protection for landholders on both sides of the border, helping to safeguard livestock and livelihoods from wild dog impacts.
"Once completed, the 290-kilometre section of fence along the SA/NSW border will be a critical component in advancing the South Australia's Wild Dog Management Strategy to eradicate wild dogs from within the Dog Fence by 2033."
