State Barrier Fence (No.1 Rabbit Proof Fence)

I’d seen the movie and read the book so I knew a bit about the history of the Rabbit Proof Fence. There are actually 3 fences, with construction starting in 1901 and completed by 1907. When No.1 fence was completed in 1907, it was the longest unbroken fence in the world 1,833km (1,139 mi). All three fences stretch a total of 3,255 km (2,023 mi). The purpose of the fence was to keep the rabbits from progressing from Victoria (where they were introduced) across to the rest of the country. Rabbits did what rabbits do and the population was rapidly increasing. To protect the agriculture in WA, the fence was built to stop the rabbits from entering the farmland and destroying the crops. When you think about it, the task to build the fence at the time was massive and getting the materials there on a horse and cart would have been a job in itself! There are a few spots in WA where you can see the fence but as I was at Wave Rock, the closest one was only a 30 minute drive away. It is literally in the middle of nowhere and if you blink, you’d miss it. There is a grid over the highway which is where the fence is so once you go over it, the fence is right there. The photo ops are pretty good but you really don’t need much time to see it. I was only there for about 20 minutes and was more than enough time. If you like your history and don’t mind a bit of a drive, I recommend visiting to see a bit of Australian history.