NSW Government
Crown Lands

Remaking the Border Fence Maintenance Regulation

Part of the dog-proof border fence that runs along the New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australian borders. It is fence with metal post and mesh screening and there are red dirt roads and native grasses on either side. In this image, it is sunset.

The border fence is a 600 km dog-proof barrier along the New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australian borders.

This fence is crucial in keeping dingoes and wild dogs out of sheep, goat, and cattle grazing areas in western New South Wales.

The fence is continuously monitored and maintained to ensure its effectiveness.

Landholders in the western division of NSW with properties over 1,000 hectares pay an annual fee, used by the Border Fence Maintenance Board to maintain and upgrade the border fence.

The Border Fence Maintenance Regulation caps the maximum rate landholders pay at 7 cents per hectare of land they own. Currently, the annual fee is 6.3 cents per hectare.

Review of the regulation

NSW regulations undergo a review every 5 years to ensure they are current and effective. 

The Border Fence Maintenance Regulation is now due for review. There are 2 options for this review:

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Repeal option

Allow the Border Fence Maintenance Regulation to lapse.
 

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Remake option

Remake the Border Fence Maintenance Regulation so that it continues unchanged.

The Department has conducted a review and recommends remaking the Border Fence Maintenance Regulation without any changes. The review found that the fence provides a high net benefit to farmers, local communities, and the rest of NSW.

Remaking the regulation without changes means the capped rate of 7 cents per hectare will remain the same.

Other key components, such as the information on rates notices and payment of interest on rates, will also remain the same.

Request for feedback

We are seeking your feedback on the Department’s recommendation to remake the Border Fence Maintenance Regulation.

A Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) has been developed to provide details of the recommendation and the possible outcomes if the regulation is allowed to lapse. The draft Border Fence Maintenance Regulation 2025 has also been prepared.

Have your say

Feedback will be open from Tuesday 10 June 2025 to Monday 7 July 2025 at 11:59 pm (AEST).

You can provide feedback in the following ways:

Next steps

All feedback is valued by the Department. Your feedback will be considered in remaking the Border Fence Maintenance Regulation.

The final decision will be published on this page.