Lines across the landscape: history, impact and heritage of Australian rural fences

Rural fences are ubiquitous but invisible cultural objects in Australian landscapes. thesis I bring them into the foreground starting with their social context and role in Australian culture. The history of technological changes from shepherding to modern fences is described with many examples including railway and vermin fences. Rabbit-proof fences and government-funded barrier fences in Victoria and NSW are documented in detail. Fences both impact on the environment and indicate environmental change. Obsolete fences are valuable historic heritage recording land settlement and management, but they are impossible to conserve.