Historic accounts of the impact of dingoes on South Australia’s sheep industry that led to the construction of the Dog Fence, with notes on other wildlife abundance

G. Sansom; B. Ostendorf; D. Taggart

doi:10.1071/WR25039

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Previous Contents Vol 52(9)

Historic accounts of the impact of dingoes on South Australia’s sheep industry that led to the construction of the Dog Fence, with notes on other wildlife abundance

G. Sansom

^A ^* , B. Ostendorf ^A and D. Taggart

^B ^C

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

^B Fauna Research Alliance, PO Box 98, Callaghan, NSW 2038, Australia.

^C School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus, Mudla Wirra Road, Roseworthy, SA 5371, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: gemma.sansom@adelaide.edu.au

Handling Editor: Thomas Newsome

Wildlife Research 52, WR25039 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR25039

Submitted: 3 March 2025 Accepted: 29 August 2025 Published: 18 September 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

The exclusion of dingoes from southern Australia because of the Dog Fence is thought to have had a trophic cascade effect on various wildlife and invasive species, with many ecologists now advocating for the fence to be repositioned or even decommissioned. If this were to happen, it is important to understand how and why the Dog Fence was established, as well as the impact the fence and the removal of dingoes have had on both the sheep industry and native ecosystems.

Aims

This paper examines dingo impacts on the South Australian sheep industry and how these impacts led to the construction of the Dog Fence, as reported in historical print media. We examine the same sources for evidence of the ecological consequences of dingo control.

Methods

A systematic review of historical newspaper articles available on Trove was conducted. Articles were manually categorised, reviewed, and analysed to understand sheep loss to dingoes, major events, dingo control methods and the ecological impacts of dingo control.

Key results

The dingo had a major impact on the South Australian sheep industry from the 1840s. Various dingo control methods were implemented, including baiting and trapping, with scalp bounties offered to incentivise control. Only after these methods were combined with broad-scale fencing in the 1900s did reports of dingo damage to the sheep industry subside. Reports of dingoes attacking livestock peaked between 1890 and 1910, with annual losses of up to 20% of flocks being reported. As dingo control intensified during the late 1800s, reports of an increased abundance of native wildlife, including kangaroos, wallabies, and possums, were made.

Conclusions

Our analysis showed anecdotal evidence suggesting that dingoes had a detrimental impact on South Australia’s sheep industry before the establishment of the Dog Fence. However, following their exclusion, reports indicated a substantial increase in the populations of several wildlife species, leading to both ecological and economic consequences. Whereas it seems unlikely that dingoes and sheep can co-exist without extensive management strategies, it is crucial to balance these actions to optimise both environmental and agricultural benefits.

Implications

This review has increased our knowledge and understanding of the impact and role that dingoes had before their exclusion from southern Australia. This knowledge is essential for future decisions and considerations into the preservation, modification or decommissioning of the Dog Fence.

Keywords: agriculture, dingo, Dog Fence, exclusion fencing, historical, sheep farming, trophic cascade, wild dog.

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