Current fencing and gates

[Nazia RezaeeParticipant]

Our team was curious as for 1.2, as to what current fencing and gate approaches were being utilised and whether these techniques had large workload due to maintenance. Further, what livestock exists on the land to better assist in designing suitable animal management infrastructure. Thank you.

[Evelyn TodioKeymaster]

Hi Nazia,

Across remote properties in areas such as Port Stewart on the Cape York Peninsula, fencing is typically constructed using:
 Steel star pickets or hardwood timber posts
 Barbed wire (commonly 3–5 strands) for boundary fencing
 Hinged farm gates constructed from galvanised steel tube
In some cases, mesh wire fencing around housing compounds

Gates are generally manual swing gates with chain and latch closures. Infrastructure tends to be functional rather than engineered for high durability.

Maintenance Workload
Maintenance demand is generally high due to:
 Cyclonic winds, which can loosen posts and strain wire
 Sandy and soft soils, reducing post embedment stability
 Seasonal flooding during the wet season, leading to erosion around fence lines
 Corrosion from coastal air exposure
 Vegetation growth and fallen timber impacting fence alignment

In remote settings where workforce capacity is limited, repeated post resetting, wire tensioning, and gate realignment create a substantial operational burden. Timber posts, in particular, degrade rapidly in tropical conditions. From a lifecycle perspective, upgrading to galvanised steel posts, deeper embedment, or
screw-in anchors could reduce long-term maintenance requirements.

Livestock Presence and Design Implications
Livestock commonly present on Cape York pastoral and ranger-managed lands typically
include:
 Cattle (primary grazing animal)
 Occasional goats or pigs, depending on land use
 Potential interaction with feral species such as buffalo or wild pigs
Cattle are the primary design driver for fencing infrastructure. They require:
 Strong corner bracing assemblies
 Adequate wire height and tension
 Secure gate latching systems
 Yards and holding areas with reinforced posts
As feral pigs are present, standard barbed wire fencing may be insufficient, and lower mesh or exclusion fencing may be required to prevent damage to housing areas, gardens, or water infrastructure.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Evelyn

[Nathan FinchParticipant]

Hello Evelyn,

Our team had a bunch of follow up questions:

Is the point of the barbed wire just for animals?
Are there areas fenced off to prevent entry from tourists/people?
What challenges do the rangers face with the current fencing & gating (outside of maintenance)?
What are the biggest problem animals regarding fencing (besides feral pigs)?
How are the fences maintained during the wet season (or set up for the wet season)?
Are there any specific cultural considerations regarding the fencing and gating?
What areas (campsites, national park, fence lines for wild animals) are having the most challenges?

Thank you in advance.

Kind regards,
Nathan

• This reply was modified 1 month ago by Nathan Finch.

[Evelyn TodioKeymaster]

Hi Nathan,

Apologies for the late response. We are waiting for a response to your question from out community partners. Your patience is greatly appreciated!

We have our Stakeholder Insights Event this Thursday the 2nd of April from 2-3:15. It is an opportunity for students to ask questions to our community partners directly. If I cannot get an answer to you before then, I can try my best to include it in the Q&A on Thursday.

Kind regards,
Evelyn

[Nathan FinchParticipant]

Hi Evelyn,

No worries at all. If you see this in time, we have focused our scope to fencing and gates for wild pigs. If you have time in the Q&A would you please ask the previous questions as it may help other people & also can you ask how much funding there would be available purely for fencing for wild pig affected areas, as well as how much actual fenced areas are there with wild pig challenges.

Thank you in advance,
Nathan

[Evelyn TodioKeymaster]

Hi Nathan,

I hope you were able to tune into the Community Insights Event. If not, here is a document that outlines some of the questions asked: Q&A Community Insights Event 2026

In response to your questions:
– The barbed wire serves to block animals off of culturally sensitive areas. It is also used as a form of management for visiting tourists by marking restricted areas.
– Challenges that rangers face with the fencing is cyclonic activity and extreme weather events. Additionally, it is generally such a large area to manage and maintain
– A consideration when fencing off areas is that the barriers act to protect certain areas rather than restrict access for Traditional Owners.

I hope these answer some of your questions.

Kind regards,
Evelyn

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