Rural Fencing: Wire, Star Pickets and Strainers

Rural fencing in Australia comes down to a handful of choices done properly: the right wire type for the stock you are holding, star pickets sized and spaced correctly, and strainer assemblies at every end and corner built to actually hold tension over a kilometre of run. Get those three right and the fence lasts decades; get them wrong and you are back out there re-tensioning within a season.

Plain wire, barbed wire and ringlock or hinge joint mesh

Plain wire is the cheapest option and works fine as a top or bottom strand in combination with other wire types, but on its own it does not stop determined stock, particularly cattle leaning on a fence line. Barbed wire adds a physical deterrent and is still widely used for cattle boundaries, typically run as two to four strands on timber or steel posts, though some councils and neighbours now prefer alternatives near roads or walking tracks because of the injury risk to horses and people.

Ringlock, also called hinge joint mesh, is the standard for sheep and mixed stock fencing across most of Australia. It is a woven mesh with fixed vertical stays and horizontal line wires that flex slightly under pressure rather than staying rigid, which is what stops the mesh from deforming permanently when stock push against it. Ringlock comes in different height and stay spacing combinations, commonly labelled with a code like 7/90/30 or 8/90/15, where the numbers describe line wire count, height in centimetres, and stay spacing in centimetres. Tighter stay spacing near the bottom, like 15cm, is worth the extra cost where lambs or smaller stock are involved, since wider spacing lets small animals push through.

High tensile versus mild steel wire

High tensile wire, usually rated around 1500 to 1770 megapascals tensile strength, is stronger and more elastic than mild steel wire of the same diameter, meaning it can be strained tighter and stays tighter for longer without permanently stretching. It costs more per metre but needs fewer posts over a long run because the wire itself carries more of the load, and it is now the standard choice for new boundary and paddock fencing runs in most of Australia.

Mild steel wire is cheaper and easier to work with by hand, bending and joining more forgivingly, which makes it a reasonable choice for shorter runs, yard fencing or repairs where you are matching into existing mild steel wire rather than starting fresh. Mixing high tensile and mild steel in the one strained run is not recommended, since they stretch differently under load and the fence will end up unevenly tensioned.

Star picket sizes and spacing

Star pickets, the Waratah brand being the most recognised in Australia, come in a range of lengths matched to fence height and ground conditions: 1650mm and 1800mm pickets are common for standard sheep and cattle fencing, giving roughly 900mm to 1050mm of picket above ground once driven in, with the rest anchoring below ground. Lighter duty 1350mm pickets suit temporary or low stock pressure fencing, while 2100mm pickets are used where extra height or looser, sandy ground needs more anchorage below the surface.

Spacing between star pickets typically runs 7 to 10 metres apart on a plain or ringlock wire fence between proper timber or steel posts, closer on uneven ground or where extra rigidity is needed, wider on flat, firm ground with high tensile wire doing more of the structural work. Star pickets are droppers and intermediate supports, not load-bearing ends; they hold the wire line and shape but should never be asked to anchor a strain.

Strainer assemblies and end and corner posts

Every strained wire run starts and ends at a strainer assembly, and this is the part of a rural fence that actually takes the load. A strainer assembly typically pairs a substantial end or corner post, timber or steel, with a stay or brace set at an angle back into the ground, forming a triangle that resists the pull of the tensioned wire. Undersized or poorly braced strainer assemblies are the single most common cause of a rural fence sagging or leaning over time, since the wire tension is constant and relentless on that one point.

Corner posts carry load from two directions and generally need a stay on both sides of the angle, or a well set concrete footing, depending on ground type. On sandy or loose soils, concrete footings for strainer posts are worth the extra cost even though they cost more upfront, because a post that shifts even slightly under load will progressively loosen every strand of wire on that run.

Wire strainers and tensioning

Wire strainers, whether a simple in-line strainer, a chain strainer or a proper geared wire strainer tool, are used to pull each strand to correct tension after the wire is run out and fixed at one end. Over-tensioning is a common mistake, particularly with high tensile wire, since it does not need to be pulled as hard as mild steel to sit correctly, and over-tightening strains the strainer assembly unnecessarily and can snap the wire in cold weather when steel contracts further. A properly tensioned strand should have a slight, even hum or spring to it when flicked, not be pulled bar-tight.

Gauge selection by stock type

Sheep fencing generally wants a ringlock mesh with tighter stay spacing near the ground, since sheep and lambs test low gaps constantly. Cattle fencing can run looser, with plain high tensile wire and barbed top strands sufficient for most mobs, since cattle rely more on visual and pressure deterrents than fine mesh. Horses need highly visible fencing with no barbed wire at all due to injury risk, commonly post and rail, electric tape, or plain wire with a wide, visible top rail. Getting the wrong gauge or spacing for your stock type is the most common reason a rural fence needs redoing within a few years rather than lasting the couple of decades a well specified fence should manage.

Electric fencing basics

Electric fencing, using systems like Gallagher energisers and polywire or tape, adds a psychological deterrent on top of or instead of a physical barrier, and is widely used for rotational grazing, temporary paddock division and topping up an existing fence that is no longer stock-proof on its own. A single hot wire offset from an existing fence line can extend the working life of an ageing boundary fence significantly cheaper than a full rebuild, though it needs a reliable earth system and regular fault checking, since a shorted or poorly earthed system stops working as a deterrent even though it looks intact.

Typical costs and buying second-hand

New rural fencing in Australia typically runs somewhere in the range of $8,000 to $15,000 per kilometre for a standard ringlock or plain wire sheep or cattle fence with timber or steel strainer assemblies, varying a lot with terrain, post spacing and whether you are contracting the labour or doing it yourself. Buying second-hand star pickets and wire can meaningfully cut that cost, but check pickets for straightness along their full length and for rust at the point where they would have sat at ground level, since that is where corrosion concentrates. Coiled second-hand wire should be checked for kinks, which weaken the wire at that point and cause it to snap under tension later, and for rust that has pitted rather than just surface-discoloured the strand. The same inspection discipline covered in our guide to buying used fencing materials applies directly to rural gear, particularly the points on rust versus surface corrosion and measuring before you commit to a load.

If you are weighing rural wire fencing against a panel style boundary fence for a smaller acreage or lifestyle block, our comparison of timber versus Colorbond fencing covers the trade-offs for that different use case. Browse current rural and stock fencing listings for wire, pickets and strainer gear from sellers across Australia.