99% Invisible – "The Longest Fence in the World"

Host: Roman Mars
Reporter: Shirley Wong
Date: February 24, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of 99% Invisible explores the story of the Dingo Fence, the world’s longest fence, which crosses southeastern Australia. Reporter Shirley Wong travels to the small town of Jindawi to uncover the history, ecological impact, and cultural significance of this enormous barrier. Through interviews with locals, scientists, and Aboriginal rangers, the episode examines how design choices—intended to solve one problem—can create unexpected, far-reaching consequences.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing the Dingo Fence (00:00–04:36)

• Roman Mars introduces the concept of “hidden” infrastructure and points out that while the longest wall and bridge are in China, the world’s longest fence is in Australia.
• Shirley Wong visits Jindawi, Queensland, to meet Doug Henning and see where the 5,000+ km fence begins:

  “It’s not much to look at. Just a regular wire fence that’s about 6ft tall to prevent dingoes from jumping over.” (04:02, Shirley Wong)

2. Why Build a Fence? Colonizers, Rabbits, and Sheep (05:00–11:42)

• British colonization introduced invasive species—rabbits, foxes, deer, pigs, goats—wreaking havoc on native ecology.
• The original fences were "rabbit-proof," aimed at preventing rabbit invasions, but ultimately failed:

  “It wasn’t successful. Rabbits ended up going all throughout Australia.” (07:50, Thomas Newsome)

• The burgeoning wool industry drove the true expansion of fencing. By the late 1800s, sheep outnumbered people 50 to 1.
• Dingoes—the continent’s apex predator—became the main threat to sheep, leading to government bounties and then large-scale efforts to keep dingoes and sheep strictly apart.

3. Transformation & Maintenance: The Dingo Fence Legacy (11:42–15:49)

• Old rabbit fences were joined and heightened to create a dingo barrier zone.
• At its peak, the fence was nearly 9,600 km; today, it's about 5,500 km (~3,400 mi).
• Doug Henning and Shirley tour the fence; damage from animals—kangaroos, echidnas—is constant:

  “There’s a hole underneath there... Something’s got through here. So they’ve come along and put another piece in there.” (14:22, Doug Henning)

• The fence remains a significant financial and logistical commitment—$10 million annually.

4. Ecological Consequences (15:11–17:32)

• The fence disrupts migration and natural animal movement; some animals (emus, kangaroos, wallabies) are blocked from food and water.
• Removing dingoes triggered ecological imbalances, especially an overabundance of kangaroos and increased red fox and feral cat numbers, threatening native species:

  “The most visible effects are that when dingoes are removed, kangaroos in particular, their numbers explode.” (15:50, Thomas Newsome)

• Even from space, the fence's effects are visible—differing vegetation and sand dune patterns on either side.

5. Cultural and Political Complexity (17:32–21:02)

• Despite the declining importance of sheep farming, the fence remains politically untouchable:

  “It would be very difficult... for a politician to come out and say, we’re going to tear down the dingo fence.” (17:58, Thomas Newsome)

• The fence is symbolic—of Australia’s agricultural history and perceived as essential to rural identity.
• Dingoes were long considered pests or “feral dogs.” Only in recent decades have scientists and the public appreciated their status as a unique native species.

  “They were such beautiful creatures. It seemed really strange that they had been greatly misrepresented.” (21:18, Dr. Justine Phillip)

6. A Place Where Dingoes Run Free: Gari (Fraser Island) (26:24–31:15)

• Gari (formerly Fraser Island) is a World Heritage Site where dingoes live mostly undisturbed.
• Aboriginal stewardship, notably by the Batchula people, emphasizes coexistence and non-lethal management:

  “If you see a wangara even looking or lurking around, you make him know that that’s your camp area.” (27:51, Tessa Waia)

• Tourism heavily exploits dingo imagery, sometimes dangerously misleading visitors:

  “The dingoes, he’s not a party animal. The message I guess is, you know, play it safe. These are naturally wild animals.” (29:47, Boyd Blackman)

7. Tragedy, Controversy, and the Future (31:15–33:47)

• Recent fatal dingo encounter with a tourist (Piper James) reignites debates about tourism and dingo management on Gari.
• Aboriginal Corporation and scientists criticize the government’s decision to cull a dingo pack after the incident, citing lack of consultation and harm to genetic diversity:

  “These Wangiris, they're punished for doing what they do naturally. It’s not right.” (33:19, Tessa Waia)

• The episode closes by reflecting on the dingo’s complex role in Australian culture: protected in some contexts, vilified in others, requiring a “complicated rebalancing” for true coexistence.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Fence’s Purpose:

  “The dingo barrier fence is a remarkable piece of infrastructure, and not just because of its length. This simple wire structure has actually transformed the entire ecology of Australia.” (04:38, Shirley Wong)

• On Rabbits as Invaders:

  “Those 24 animals bred like, well, rabbits...” (06:26, Roman Mars)

• On Political Sensitivity:

  “To suggest even that you take it down is considered very un-Australian.” (18:42, Dr. Justine Phillip)

• On Scientific Revelation:

  “They started to understand … their ecological role, but also understanding, well, what are dingoes?” (19:38, Thomas Newsome)

• On Coexistence:

  “...the wangarees are their family. You know, it’s like their brothers, their sisters...” (33:19, Tessa Waia)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 — Episode opens; Roman Mars on “hidden” infrastructure facts
• 01:42 — Shirley Wong arrives in Jindawi, QLD, to meet Doug Henning
• 05:12 — Impact of introduced species and origins of the rabbit-proof fence
• 09:05 — Rise of the wool industry; escalation of the dingo threat
• 13:02 — Rabbit fences retrofit as Dingo Fence; immense scale
• 15:31 — Ecological cascade after dingoes removed
• 17:53 — Cultural and political fixation on the fence
• 19:00 — Changing public/scientific views of dingoes
• 26:48 — Introduction to Gari (Fraser Island) and dingo management
• 30:38 — Tourism, dingo attacks, and management controversies
• 31:15 — Fatal incident, its aftermath, and debates over culling
• 33:47 — Concluding reflections on coexistence

Conclusion

“The Longest Fence in the World” looks past the easily-overlooked wire barrier to reveal a web of history, ecological complexity, cultural symbolism, and tough choices. The fence's legacy touches colonial ambition, agricultural economics, invasive species, and the long-running contest over what—and who—gets to shape Australia’s wild places. As Roman Mars notes, design is everywhere, and sometimes its most enduring consequences are those no one intended.