Rabbit Proof Fence No1

Statement of Significance

Rabbits were introduced to Geelong from England by Thomas Austin in 1859. Towards the end of the last century rabbits were known to have travelled across to Western Australia from Victoria. They were a serious threat to farmers and the environment. The WA Government was forced to take action in 1901 and surveyor Alfred Canning was commissioned to survey a fence line lo be built to cut off the flow of the noxious creatures. Canning with only Hubert Trotman, an Afghan camel man, Hassan, and eight camels completed the preliminary exploratory survey from Burracoppin to Starvation Boat Harbour in July and August that year. Trotman, when referring to the Ravensthorpe section of the survey says that he was glad when he had cut the last mallee tree at Carlingup as this was the hardest stretch of the survey line and here he was for ever sharpening his axe. They then turned north to survey the rest. The fence from Starvation Boat Harbour to Burracoppin was built by contract wiib salt water paperbark posts on the lower section obtained locally and other materials were shipped into Starvation Boat Harbour. The fence, when complete in 1906 ran through some of the most inhospitable terrain of the continent from the cold waters of the Southern Ocean at Starvation Boat Harbour in the south to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean on the Eighty Mile Beach in the north, a distance of 1822km. The stores were bought down the fence to Starvation Boat Harbour by camel team from Burracoppin by an Afghan named Syreen (or Zarene). Syreen also collected stores from Hopetoun with his camel team. Ships such as the Grace Darling called in to Starvation Boat Harbour with supplies and passengers. The fence was maintained by boundary riders patrolling 240km stretches with ingenuous permanent water catchments and huts at regular intervals of 50km. There were gates at every 32km and trap yards for foxes and dingoes as well as rabbits every 8km. Grids and rabbi! proof gales were constructed where the fence crossed the roads. There were grids at Highway No. 1 40km east of Ravensthorpe and near Jerdacuttup School on Jerdacuttup North Road - both removed in early 1980's when the Agricultural Protection Board abandoned the section south of the highway. There were gates at Middle Road, Jerdacuttup in the 1970's to allow Telegraph Line maintenance teams to pass through. There is still a gate at the 173 mile peg at Carlingup where it crosses Dunn Track and a gate where it crosses the old Carlingup to Fanny Cove track. Ironically before the completion of the fence. The Phillips River Times in its first issue of 31 December 1904, reported the first rabbit was sighted near Ravensthorpe. As one would expect of rabbits, they multiplied rapidly and in the 1930's farmers in Ravensthorpe were driven off their land because the rabbits had eaten the crops and pasture they had planted. Much of the fence is still in a good state of repair, especially where it is used by abutting farmers and graziers as a boundary fence, and the section north of Highway No. I is still maintained by the Agricultural Protection Board. Close !o the coast, south of Springdale Road it has fallen into a stale of disrepair. There were two four roomed weatherboard houses with verandahs belonging to the Rabbit Department at Starvation Boat Harbour in 1904 and a huge bell lent for stores. The fence can be viewed quite easily on both sides of Highway No. 1 40km east of Ravensthorpe and at Starvation Boat Harbour 40km south of the highway by walking north along the beach from the gravel boat ramp for about hah!"an hour. There is a 4WD track but this is not signposted. Refer to maps.

Physical Description

The longest fence in the world cost S250 per km to construct. It was made of "wire netting 42 inches wide, with a mesh not less than 1 l/2 inches, and no lighter than 17 gauge, "B" grade with barbed and plain wire." Six inches of the erected wire netting was buried in the ground.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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