Virtual fencing trial in Canberra

Subject:
Virtual fencing trial in Canberra
Eligibility:
Residents of ACT
Sponsoring member:
Ms Jo Clay
No. of Signatures:
589
Posting Date:
3/6/2025
Closing Date:
26/11/2025
 
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Information about the Principal Petitioner is available through the sponsoring Member of the Legislative Assembly's office
TO: The Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly
Reason for this Petition

The following residents of the ACT draw the attention of the Assembly to the urgent need for the implementation of a virtual fencing trial along the section of Erindale Drive between Farrer Ridge and Wanniassa Hills nature reserves to reduce vehicle collisions with wildlife. 

Canberra experiences a high rate of wildlife-vehicle collisions, with kangaroos being one of the most affected. Rangers commonly record over 1,000 kangaroos called in as dead or injured by the road each year, and it’s estimated that actual collisions may be twice as many as reported sightings. These incidents not only harm wildlife but also pose significant risks to motorists. Virtual fencing is a non-invasive and relatively inexpensive technology designed to prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions by alerting animals to oncoming traffic. It involves the installation of small roadside devices on posts spaced approximately 25 metres apart that emit high-frequency sounds and flashing lights when they detect the headlights of approaching vehicles at night or in low-light conditions. 

These signals are designed to deter animals, particularly kangaroos, from crossing the road when a vehicle is approaching. The technology does not harm wildlife or require fencing that restricts animal movement across the landscape. Virtual fencing technology has proven effective in reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions in various regions: 

• In Eurobodalla, NSW, a virtual fencing trial led to a 90% reduction in kangaroo fatalities along a known hotspot. 

• In Victoria's Surf Coast, a virtual fencing trial has halved the number of vehicle collisions with macropods.

Requested Actions

Your petitioners, therefore, request the Assembly to call on the ACT Government to: 

  1. Initiate a virtual fencing trial along Erindale Drive to assess its effectiveness in reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions. Collaborate with the relevant ACT Government agencies and local communities to monitor and evaluate the trial’s outcomes. 
  2.  Consider expanding the use of virtual fencing to other identified hotspots in the ACT based on the trial’s success.

Sign this Petition