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This article was published in 1937
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RABBIT-PROOF FENCES
(Specifications of materials required for the erection of this type of fence).
Mr. F. J. MADDEN, Inspector of Stock, Tamworth,
Fencing Posts.
Timber to be cut 5ft. 8 in. long; split into sizes required: 8 x 4, 7 x 5, or even 6 x 4 inches at the small end are most suitable; the best hardwood timber available should be used; Ironbark, White Box, Red Gum, Yellow Box, or the best hardwood available for preference. White Pine not split is suitable in country where this class of timber grows.
Strainer and Gate Posts.
Hardwood, same as fencing posts, round, 7 feet long, at least 10 inches at small end for fencing line; 12 inches minimum at small end for corners and gate posts.
Battens.
Hardwood or stringy-bark for preference; split into pieces 4 x 2 inches at small end and 4 feet long.
Stays.
Round Hardwood, 6 inches at small end and of a length required for the position in which they are to be used.
Gates.
Double wooden gates of hardwood—each 6 feet wide; or iron gates—single and 12 feet wide.
Bed Logs for Gateways.
Round hardwood, 12 feet long, 10 to 12 inches in diameter, and squared on one side.
Netting.
Galvanised wire: 42 inches wide, 17 A or B gauge, 1¼ inches mesh, and should be of best quality.
Plain Wire.
No. 8, black or No. 10 steel.
Barb Wire.
No. 12 gauge, galvanised and of good quality.
Tie Wire.
Light galvanised, about 18 gauge,
ERECTION OF FENCE
Proposed line for Fence.
The first consideration is to select the line on which it is proposed to erect the fence, steep grades, rocky nobs, sharp slopes. gullies,etc., are to be avoided if possible, the line selected, the first step to take is to clear all standing timber for half a chain each side of same, remove all fallen timber and stumps for at least four feet from where the fence will run.
Panels.
The length of panels is greatly influenced by the type of country to be negotiated. If the country is hilly or rocky or both, a short panel of about 9 feet is favoured, if the land is undulating to level then longer panels are preferred, this part of the job can only be decided after an inspection of the line when one of the following is decided upon: 9 feet, no batten; 9 to 12 feet, 1 batten; 12 to 16 feet, 2 battens; 16 to 20 feet, 3 battens.
Fencing Posts in Ground.
Fencing posts along line, to be placed 22 inches in ground, to be well rammed from start to finish of tilling in (this is most important). To be 3 feet 10 inches out of ground, straight along line and level along top.
Strainers in Ground.
Strainers are to be placed 3 feet in ground and extra well rammed when filling in for the whole 3 feet, they are to be 4 feet out of the ground—the extra 2 inches above fencing posts is to allow for the straining of the wires—long distances between the strainers along the line of fence is preferred, as this allows greater tautness of the wires, but strainers must be placed at all angles irrespective of distances between each.
Staying of Straining Posts.
The staying of straining posts is one of the most important parts of the erection of a fence, and should be placed at all angles or corners, an effective method of staying posts is to mortice a hole about 10 inches from top of straining post opposite the line of fence, the stay is then placed in this mortice hole, brought back along line, let into the ground about one foot, then a wedge of hardwood is driven in at the end of the stay deep into the ground, this forces the stay into the mortice hole and holds it in position. The stay length depends on the length of panel, if the panel is 9 feet then the stay is made to cover the distance from flush up against the last post under ground to the mortice hole in the strainer. If the panel is over 12 feet, the stay is then usually about 12 feet long.
Gate Posts.
To be treated so far as erection is concerned as strainers.
Bed Log.
This log is placed under ground between the gate posts, flush up to same at each end, the top should be squared at ground level and almost touching the bottom of gate when closed.
Boring of Posts and Battens.
Posts and battens are bored through the centre. The boles spaced apart according to distance between wires, except the top hole—this is bored about two inches from top of post and batten.
Wire.
Three No. 10 galvanised or No. 8 black wires are used as body wires, the first is placed about 6 inches above ground level, another is placed at the top of netting, the third is midway between the two, the fourth wire is placed 6 inches above top of netting and a No. 12 gauge barb wire is placed on the top of the posts, making four plain and one barb wire: the barb wire is not run through the posts or battens, but is secured in position by a tie of No. 10 black soft wire to the top bore hole in the timber.
Netting.
The netting is to be hung straight and without bulge, placed in a trench 6 inches deep, the dirt from the trench to be thrown back into the trench and rammed, the netting is tied to the body wires with tie wire, each tie about 4 feet apart.
Deep Gullies and Creek.
The methods of fencing across deep gullies and creeks vary, the netting apron is most favoured, it is built by the sinking of two long posts deep into the ground on the creek bank as close to the edge of same as possible, a cable of eight strands of plain wire is made by twisting same into one, this is attached to both posts on level of top of fence to the creek, from this cable wire netting is hung in strips to overreach the bed of the creek, the strips are fastened together by tie wire to keep from drifting apart, and are kept in position on the bed of creek by stone or logs; if the creek has water in same, the apron is carried to the waters edge. A second cable is run from post to post, about the apron netting, wires are run from the top cable to the bottom cable and tied to prevent the bottom cable from sagging under the weight of the suspended netting. If two good trees are growing—one on either bank—at the crossing place, these are used instead of sinking posts, and they are much better for the purpose.
Gates.
Double wooden gates each 6 feet wide and netted, or a single iron netted gate 12 feet wide are used: the gates must be well hung from the centre of the gate post, must swing freely and without sag, fitting as close up to each gate post as to prevent rabbits from getting through, and must also swing just above and clear of the top of the bed log taking care that the distance between same is not sufficient to allow small rabbits to squeeze through, the gates to be fastened by some simple catch that is easy to manipulate—difficult or complicated devices frequently means that the gate is left open.
Hoods for Stays.
All stays are hooded by netting or otherwise protected to prevent rabbits passing over the fence, methods of erecting same vary, sometimes a second width of netting is erected above the fence for a panel length of the fence where the says are placed and is most effective, other times the hooding of each stay is adopted, the second method does not allow the rabbit to run up the stay, this is also effective.
Using of iron Posts along with Timber in a Netting Fence.
Where suitable timber is scarce and hard to obtain, and where the country is level or nearly so, iron posts are very often used in the erection of netting fences.
The timber that is used and other materials are similar to that already described.
Iron posts are used, the Star shape found to be satisfactory. These are purchased bored and sharpened, and ready for driving into the ground.
Long panels are favoured, wooden posts are erected about 60 feet apart, each 12 feet between these posts an iron post is driven into the ground about 20 inches, the wire and netting is then erected, the resulting fence is not so rigid as an all timber fence but nevertheless is an excellent job.