Fences on roads

Pastoralists and landowners must make sure they:

• erect fences along the roadside to stop stock wandering onto the road
• and maintain their fences along the roadside.

All fences for rural areas must comply with the standards for stock fences PDF (183.5 KB). The road reserve is not regulated by the Fences Act 1972.

The cost of maintaining fences along the roadside is your responsibility as a pastoralist or landowner. This includes replacing any part of the fence, labour and material costs.

The Northern Territory (NT) Government may contribute to the costs of maintaining a fence if it has contributed to damaging or degrading the fence through road maintenance activities – e.g. grading too close to fence posts, weakening them against floodwaters.

Apply for funding assistance

In special circumstances, large rural and remote properties can apply for cost-sharing assistance from the NT Government, or the NT Government may approach you, due to an identified road safety risk.

Before you apply

Before you start the fencing work, you must apply for funding assistance. The NT Government won't process applications if the fence has already been installed.

The NT Government will supply materials for the fence. You will have to arrange for the fence to be fabricated and erected.

You can only use materials that are detailed in the standards for stock fences PDF (183.5 KB).

How to apply

To request for funding assistance, email devroads.ntg@nt.gov.au or call 08 8924 7395 .