Reality Check: Fencing your lifestyle block

Fences are a vital part of any farm. Lifestyle blocks are no exception. The boundary fence defines the legal area of the property, keeps your livestock in and others out. It's important to keep stock off the road. A vehicle hitting cattle, a horse or even a sheep can injure or kill the vehicle occupants. If an animal you own causes an accident and it can be proved that your fencing was inadequate, you could be liable.

It is just as important to keep your livestock from wandering on to your neighbour's property (or their stock coming to visit you). The grass does always look greener on the other side of the fence but wandering stock can do plenty of damage in a short space of time. The cost of fences between properties is normally shared between the owners and needs to be strongly built and well maintained. Internal fences help to separate livestock genders and are necessary to manage and control the use of pasture, allowing pasture to regrow without animals tramping all over it.

Draw up a plan

Before a post is rammed into the ground spend some time with a map or diagram of your property to work out where to put the fences. First note the "immovable" items such as the house and barn, and then work out several fence plans to see which one is going to suit best. Fencing might be one job that is best not to DIY. A reputable fencing contractor will provide a first rate job saving you time and money in the long term. A central race may seem like a waste of land but can make moving your animals from one paddock to another a lot easier, using less manpower. Make the race wide enough to allow access for contractors' equipment such as haymaking or fertiliser spreading. The race can be grazed as a paddock as well so the land can still be used. Take into consideration any parts of your property that cannot be grazed such as streams, waterways or protected bush. Good fencing is necessary to keep stock off and away from these areas.

Stock safety is another factor. Drainways, cliffs, even swamps will need to be adequately fenced to ensure the animals are safe.

Choose your fence type

The fencing experts we talked to recommended a strong, well-made post and rail fence for the road boundary; the other boundary fences and main internal fences should be seven-wire with battens and posts. This allows the paddocks to be split into smaller blocks using an electric fence. This comprises tape, electric fence standards and a connection to a mains electric fence unit or battery-operated unit.

Wheeler Fencing Specialists owner Daryl Wheeler said many lifestyle block owners opt for post and rail especially for boundary fences.

He uses tanalised pine half-round posts treated to a H4 level with rough sawn rails to H3 (not suitable to go in the ground).

It's important to know what animals will be kept before decisions on types of fencing are made. Horses and cattle are fine behind post and rail but if you intend running sheep (or even having the odd one) then you need to be aware that sheep or lambs might get through the rails. Goats definitely will. Seven-wire post and battens will hold all animals.

Work out the cost

Post and rail fences cost $22 to $32 per metre, including materials and labour. Seven-wire fencing costs range from $11 to $15 per metre. Most fencers provide quotes or estimates on a per metre basis.