Pastoralists rejoice as 1400km Murchison Region Vermin Cell fence is finished

A 1400km wild dog-proof fence has been completed in WA’s Murchison region, with the $5.8 million structure set to help with the rebuild of WA’s sheep flock. The fence encloses 55 pastoral leases spanning a 6.5 million hectare swathe of land dubbed the Murchison Regional Vermin Cell. The final 285km stretch of fencing — which joins the existing No 2 vermin fence with the WA State barrier fence — was erected by the Murchison Regional Vermin Council with $2.25 million in Federal Government funding and $750,000 from State and local governments. Local pastoralists and the Meekatharra Regional Biosecurity Association will now work together to remove wild dogs from within the cell and find ways to build smaller cells that utilise the fence. For cattle producer and former Mount Magnet Shire president Ashley Dowden, the project’s completion was the culmination of two decades of lobbying for exclusion fencing to join up with the State barrier fence. Wild dogs had nearly decimated Mr Dowden’s own pastoral enterprise, prompting a transition from sheep and goats to cattle in 2008. “We had been running 10,000 Merinos and selling up to 4000 goats annually,” he said. “Today there is literally two properties in that area running small stock and they have built their own exclusion fences. “Pretty much, the small stock industry has been wiped out and there has been a huge exodus of families and long-term contract musterers.” Mr Dowden said the stock losses caused a massive economic hit to the Shires of Mount Magnet, Yalgoo, Cue, Sandstone and Meekatharra. “When people went out of sheep and goats they worked off-farm, and to this day, more than half of the properties have not got stock on them,” he said. “Gone are the fencing contractors, livestock transporters, mustering contractors, shearing and crutching teams who had contributed significantly to the local economies. “The reduction in services we have seen in the last 10 to 15 years is significant; we went from three to two pubs in Mount Magnet and two roadhouses to one. These little towns almost died.” In the past six months, pastoralists have reported a major reduction in dog tracks and stock kills as baiting and trapping efforts ramp up. Mr Dowden said optimism was returning around sheep and goat restocking, but it would be up to five years until wild dogs were fully under control. “I doubt we will ever eradicate wild dogs; there will always be breaches of the fence from storms,” he said. “But if we can get those incursions down to an odd dog here and there, it becomes manageable to run small stock.” A 2012 economic study of pastoral businesses within the proposed cell showed the profitability of stations had steadily declined over the previous decade, while wild dog numbers and attacks on livestock had surged. From 2000 to 2012, return on assets fell from 7.5 to -7.1 per cent despite significant improvements in commodity prices. Pastoralists with Merino enterprises reported wild dogs accounted for up to 75 per cent of deaths, causing a 30 to 60 per cent reduction in lambing and a 20 per cent reduction in wool cuts. The average annual loss due to wild dog attacks per property was $90,490, and 55 per cent had ceased to run sheep due to predation. Mid West Development Commission acting chief executive Anne Finlay said the completion of the project marked an important milestone in combating wild dogs and rebuilding the region’s sheep industry. “Livestock prices have skyrocketed and restoring small stock to the southern rangelands as an income source for local pastoralists will drive diversification across the region, creating new opportunities for shearers, livestock transporters and local contractors,” she said. “The project demonstrates the benefits to industry and regional communities that result from strong collaboration with industry, State and Federal governments and other stakeholders.” With the region supporting 36 threatened species, it is hoped flow on effects will include native vegetation regeneration, reduction in soil loss and increased carrying capacity. It is expected the profitability of local businesses will be boosted by increased demand for livestock and transport, agricultural supplies, shearing contractors, and casual and permanent station labour. Murchison Regional Vermin Council chairman and current Mount Magnet Shire president, Jorgen Jensen, estimated the project was completed about $400,000 under budget. He said an application had been lodged with the Building Better Regions Fund to use the savings to upgrade 38km of the No 1 vermin fence in the northeast corner of the vermin cell to replace a flood prone section over the next six months. “The solution requires the effective management of the parallel programs of strategic planning and monitoring, fencing, baiting, trapping and the implementation of new control technologies,” Mr Jensen said.