Rabbit-proof fence

"[6] With virtually no local predators, the rabbits became extremely prolific and spread rapidly across the southern parts of the country.

Australia had ideal conditions for an explosion in the rabbit population, which constituted an invasive species.

At first, fence posts were made from salmon gum and gimlet, but they attracted termites (locally known as white ants) and had to be replaced.

Other timbers used were mulga, wodjil, native pine, and tea-tree, depending on what could be found close to where the fence was to be built.

Most materials had to be hauled hundreds of kilometres from rail heads and ports by bullock, mule and camel teams.

In 1904, the project became the responsibility of the Public Works Department of Western Australia, under the supervision of Richard John Anketell.

[3] With a workforce of 120 men, 350 camels, 210 horses and 41 donkeys, Anketell was responsible for the construction of the greater part of No.

[4] Alexander Crawford took over the maintenance of the fence from Anketell as each section was finished; he was in charge until he retired in 1922.

The farmers between the two fences suffered from the ravages of the rabbits for many years, before they bred into plague form to spread out over the agricultural districts to the west of the No.

1 Fence, began writing a fictional story that explored a way of disposing of a body in the desert.

Decades later, Terry Walker wrote a book about this called Murder on the Rabbit Proof Fence: The Strange Case of Arthur Upfield and Snowy Rowles (1993).

The girls, taken from their families in Western Australia as part of the Stolen Generations, escaped from the mission settlement.

Two sisters were successful in walking hundreds of kilometers back to their family at Jigalong by following the rabbit-proof fence.

In 2016, Englishwoman Lindsey Cole walked the fence from Moore River Settlement, 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) through to Jigalong.