Fencing rollout on track for Maranoa communities

December 2, 2021

Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud is encouraging Queensland Murray–Darling communities to get behind the Fencing Northern Basin Riverbanks Program.

The program aims to improve water quality, keep farm animals safe and sustain native fish populations by building appropriate fences along riverbanks.

Mr Littleproud said the Australian Government is providing a $917,000 initial instalment to Queensland for delivering more than 40 km of fencing contracts.

“This is a common-sense program that will strengthen river health in the Northern Basin by partnering directly with landholders and the community,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Better fences help control livestock access to environmentally sensitive waterways.

“Landholders benefit because their animals are safer, and the environment benefits too because appropriate fencing protects valuable riverbanks, ecological and cultural sites and improves native fish habitat.

“This is exactly the sort of joined up approach that we should continue to take to look after our communities and rivers going forward.”

The $15 million Fencing Northern Basin Riverbanks Program will fund just over 1000 km of riverbank fencing in Queensland and New South Wales – more than 510 km will be in the Queensland areas of the Murray Darling Basin.

Fencing delivery partner Southern Queensland Landscapes has released substantial updates to its website to highlight the fencing program, including a new convenient online registration process.

Applications for creek and river fencing are available now on the Southern Queensland Landscapes website https://www.sqlandscapes.org.au/northern-basin-riverbanks-program