Funding to Assist Ellerslie farmers

Funding announced to help replace fences which separate private and public lands will relieve some of the pressure on Snowy Valleys farms who lost their boundary fencing during last summer’s fires.

Louise Frecklton’s property borders the Ellerslie Nature Reserve. She and her husband operate Highfield Farm & Woodland, a small-scale “ethical and sustainable” farm which also serves as a conservation area and eco-tourism retreat. She said they lost roughly 3.5 kilometres of fencing along the nature reserve, which is administered by National Parks.

Ms Freckleton said it would have cost them close to $35,000 in materials and labour to repair the fence line.