Bit by bit, Bruce McConnaughty, “The Ranch”, has been completing his own style roo proof fence over the last 15 years and now he needs it more than ever.
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With the NSW Government’s new farmer-friendly roo culling laws still a month away before they come in, Mr McConnaughty is taking his own measures to control roos that invade his Baradine property from the Pilliga scrub.
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The roos are so hungry they are digging under his high fence to get into paddocks that Mr McConaughty was trying to save for his top Merino sheep and Charolais cattle. He’s now investing in some apron wire to add to his “McConnaughty fence”.
The fence he has built includes three wires over the top of the normal fence with two barbs on top. The kangaroos though have exploited a flaw where they can dig under the fence in the softer ground and so Mr McConnaughty has bought 3km of Clipex apron front netting.
“I am just trying to lock out a paddock to see out the ewes and lambs, I had two to three paddocks locked up and when I went down there the other day it was covered in roos.”
He’s bought another 2km of exclusion fence from Whites Wires (15/150cm/15cm), with 240cm high XL posts every fifth post.
“I’ll put a barb on top of that one as well.”
He’s just spent $30,000 on the new fences and netting. If shooters cull the kangaroos they are quickly replaced by new roos. He’s had just 50mm this year so far, after just 254mm for the whole of last year.
John Ellicott
journalist and author
journalist and author
