Wild Dog vs Feral Pig vs Kangaroo Fencing: What Changes?

Exclusion fencing needs to be designed around the animal you are trying to stop.

A fence intended mainly to reduce kangaroo grazing pressure can have different priorities from one protecting livestock against wild dogs or preventing feral pigs from entering paddocks and damaging crops, pasture and infrastructure.

The differences come down to behaviour. Some animals are more likely to push underneath a fence. Others test weak points close to ground level, jump, follow drainage lines or repeatedly use gateways and crossings.

That is why there is no single exclusion fence design that is right for every rural property.

For farmers and landholders considering exclusion fencing in Southern NSW and Northern Victoria, the first step should be identifying the pest pressure you actually need to manage — including whether you have one primary problem or several.

Wild dogs, feral pigs and kangaroos create different fencing problems

At a broad level, the priorities look like this:

Target animal	Main fencing problem	Important design considerations
Wild dogs	Finding or creating opportunities through weak points and gaps	Secure lower fence section, consistent fence integrity, gateways, crossings, possible electric offsets and ongoing breach monitoring
Feral pigs	Pushing through or underneath fencing, particularly around weak lower sections	Strong lower barrier, ground-level protection, robust strain and posts, waterways, gateways and areas showing existing pig movement
Kangaroos	Jumping, pushing underneath or moving through unsuitable fencing	Fence height, mesh configuration, lower-fence security, visibility and consideration of wildlife movement
Mixed pest pressure	Different animals testing the same fence in different ways	Integrated design covering height, lower barrier, mesh, gates, crossings and maintenance

The practical point is that simply specifying an “exclusion fence” does not tell you enough.

A useful design starts with the question: what exactly does this fence need to exclude?

Wild dog fencing: focus on maintaining a secure barrier

Wild dogs can have a major impact on livestock enterprises, particularly where sheep, goats and young stock are exposed. Exclusion fencing is one of the recognised control methods available for wild dog management, alongside measures such as baiting, trapping and shooting.

For a landholder, the important distinction is that a wild dog fence needs to function as a continuous barrier, not simply look substantial from a distance.

The lower section matters

Any gap beneath the fence, washout, poorly secured crossing or damaged section can undermine the rest of the installation.

This makes factors such as these important:

• how the netting meets the ground
• changes in terrain along the fence line
• erosion and washouts
• creek and drainage crossings
• gateways and cattle-grid areas
• the condition of joins and straining points
• vegetation or debris affecting the fence
• whether electric offsets form part of the design

Where electric components are used, they also introduce another maintenance requirement. Vegetation, damaged insulators and loss of power can all affect how the system operates.

Gates cannot be treated as an afterthought

A strong fence combined with a poorly planned gateway still leaves a vulnerable point.

Gate placement and design should consider how frequently the entrance is used, the machinery and livestock moving through it, ground conditions and how reliably the opening can remain secure.

The same principle applies wherever a fence intersects a creek, drainage line or other natural feature.

Feral pig fencing: concentrate on the bottom of the fence

Feral pigs create a different problem.

They can push through fences and enlarge holes beneath lower wires, creating gaps that may then be used by other animals as well. That behaviour makes the lower portion of the fence particularly important.

A feral pig exclusion fence may therefore put greater emphasis on:

• preventing pigs from pushing beneath the netting
• strengthening vulnerable sections near ground level
• maintaining contact between the fence and uneven ground
• securing creek lines and drainage areas
• protecting sections where pigs are already travelling
• using posts, straining assemblies and wire capable of maintaining the intended barrier

Existing pig movement should influence the design

Before planning the fence, it is worth looking for signs of where pigs are actually moving.

Tracks or pads, rooting, wallows, crop damage and damage beneath existing fences can all help identify likely pressure points before construction begins.

For example, a section crossing an established pig pad or access route to water deserves more attention than treating every metre of the fence as though it faces exactly the same conditions.

Waterways are a major design consideration

Waterways can be difficult sections of any exclusion fence.

A standard fence configuration cannot simply continue through every creek or drainage line without considering water movement, flood debris and erosion.

The aim is to maintain an effective barrier without creating a section that repeatedly fails when water moves through the property.

That may require a site-specific crossing rather than a standardised detail copied from another part of the fence.

Kangaroo fencing: height and grazing pressure become more important

Kangaroo exclusion fencing is often being considered for a different reason again: managing grazing pressure and protecting pasture.

Because kangaroos can jump, the upper portion of the fence becomes more significant than it may be for feral pigs.

Fence height, mesh configuration and the way the fence follows the terrain all need to be considered together rather than relying on one measurement alone.

Kangaroos can also exploit the bottom of the fence

Height is not the entire answer.

Kangaroos and other macropods may also attempt to move beneath a fence, particularly where another animal has already created an opening.

That means a fence designed for kangaroo pressure still needs attention around:

• depressions and uneven ground
• washouts
• damaged mesh
• waterways
• existing animal pads
• gates and frequently disturbed sections

Simply increasing height while leaving weaknesses underneath the fence does not create a complete exclusion system.

What if you have wild dogs, pigs and kangaroos?

Many properties are not dealing with only one animal.

If you have several pest pressures, designing solely around the easiest animal to exclude can leave an expensive weak point.

A multi-species design may need to combine:

Height
Enough height and an appropriate configuration for the animals likely to jump or challenge the upper fence.

A secure lower barrier
Particularly important where pigs, wild dogs or other animals can exploit gaps at ground level.

Suitable mesh
Mesh configuration needs to suit the animals being excluded and maintain its intended shape and strength under pressure.

Ground treatment or apron details where required
Useful where animals are likely to push beneath the fence or where maintaining a reliable ground-level barrier is difficult.

Electric components where appropriate
Electric offsets may complement the physical fence in some systems, but they require proper installation and ongoing maintenance.

Strong gateways
A multi-species perimeter is only as useful as the openings through it.

Purpose-designed crossings
Creeks, drainage lines and flood-prone areas need to be considered individually.

The final specification should be based on the property and fencing system rather than selecting isolated dimensions from an online guide.

If you're still working out the right system for your property, it can also help to understand what affects the cost of exclusion fencing before comparing different designs.

Mesh, height and aprons need to work together

It is tempting to reduce exclusion fencing to one measurement:

“How high should the fence be?”

For most properties, that is too simple.

Height is only one part of the system.

Consider two fences of identical height. One follows the ground closely, has secure gateways and crossings, appropriate mesh and well-maintained strain. The other has gaps beneath the wire, loose sections and an unprotected creek crossing.

On paper, their height is identical. In practice, their ability to exclude animals may be very different.

That is why exclusion-fence design should consider the whole barrier:

1. What can get over it?
2. What can get through it?
3. What can get underneath it?
4. Where can the fence be damaged?
5. Where is a breach most likely?
6. How will those sections be inspected and repaired?

Gates and waterways are common weak points

Long stretches of straight fence are often relatively straightforward compared with the interruptions along the line.

Gateways, drainage channels, creeks and erosion areas deserve particular attention during the planning stage.

A gateway has to meet two competing requirements: it needs to maintain the exclusion barrier while still allowing practical farm access.

Think about:

• machinery width
• stock movements
• frequency of use
• gate clearance
• ground erosion
• whether vehicles routinely leave gates open
• how the gate interfaces with the fence
• whether the area becomes muddy or damaged during wet weather

The same site-specific thinking applies to waterways.

A solution that works across a minor drainage depression may be completely unsuitable for a creek carrying significant floodwater and debris.

Exclusion fencing should be part of a broader pest-management plan

Exclusion fencing can be a valuable control tool, but it should not automatically be treated as the only pest-management measure required.

This is especially relevant with a new perimeter fence.

If pest animals are already inside the area being fenced, completing the perimeter does not by itself remove those animals.

A practical plan therefore needs to consider:

• what animals are currently present
• what needs to happen before the fence is closed
• how future breaches will be detected
• what other pest-control programs are operating
• how neighbouring properties affect pressure on the fence
• who will inspect and maintain the system

Maintenance requirements also change with the site

Even a well-built exclusion fence needs to remain intact to keep working.

The sections most likely to need attention will depend on the property.

After significant weather events, inspections may need to focus on drainage lines, flood crossings, fallen vegetation, erosion and debris. Elsewhere, the main issue might be livestock pressure, feral animal activity, gateways or vegetation affecting electric fencing.

Regular inspection is particularly important because a relatively small breach can compromise a much larger fenced area.

For a more detailed look at this side of the job, see our guide to maintaining exclusion fencing after floods, fire and storms.

A site assessment should answer these questions first

Before choosing an exclusion-fence specification, work through the property rather than starting with a fence catalogue.

Ask:

• Which animals are causing the problem?
• Is there one primary target or several?
• Where are they currently entering?
• Are there established pads or travel routes?
• What sections are steep or uneven?
• Where does water cross the proposed fence line?
• Which areas flood?
• How many gates are required?
• What machinery needs access?
• Does the fence also need to contain livestock?
• Are there existing fences that can be incorporated?
• How will the fence be inspected after construction?
• What pest-control measures will operate alongside the fence?

The answers can materially change the design.

A feral-pig problem concentrated around a creek, for example, creates different design priorities from kangaroo grazing pressure across a long boundary or wild-dog pressure around livestock paddocks.

There is no universal exclusion fence specification

Wild dog, feral pig and kangaroo fencing all share the same broad objective: creating a reliable barrier between pest animals and the area you are trying to protect.

How that barrier achieves the objective changes with the animal.

Wild dog fencing places a strong emphasis on eliminating breaches and maintaining a secure perimeter. Feral pig fencing needs particular attention around the bottom of the fence and areas where pigs can push or work underneath it. Kangaroo fencing adds greater emphasis to height, movement and grazing-pressure considerations.

Where all three are present, the fence needs to address all three behaviours rather than simply adopting a generic exclusion-fence specification.

Frontier Rural designs and installs exclusion fencing for rural properties across Southern NSW and Northern Victoria. A property assessment allows the fence line, pest pressure, terrain, crossings, access requirements and intended use to be considered before the final system is selected.

If you are planning exclusion fencing and need a system suited to the animals and conditions on your property, contact Frontier Rural to discuss the project.