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Do not immediately fill the hole or collapse the burrow. Treat a fresh opening as a possible active wombat route. Keep children, pets, livestock, vehicles and machinery away, watch from a safe distance, and check your state’s wildlife rules before disturbing it. If the wombat is healthy and the route can remain open, a purpose-built wombat gate at the established crossing is often more durable than repeated repairs. If the fence must exclude wombats, use a robust, wildlife-safe mesh apron or skirt and monitor the entire boundary for new digging.
First response: make the fence line safe
A wombat hole is more than a cosmetic gap. Burrows can extend beneath ground and undermine fences, sheds, dams, paths and other structures. South Australian wildlife guidance warns that burrow collapse can create hazards, so keep people and animals away from the entrance and avoid driving, digging or operating heavy machinery nearby.
- Set a no-go area. Move children, dogs, horses, cattle, vehicles and equipment away from the hole. Keep pets on a lead well away from the entrance; a wombat can defend itself if cornered.
- Do not reach into the opening. Never put a hand, tool or camera into a burrow, and do not enter it. You cannot safely tell from the surface whether the wombat is inside.
- Leave the entrance open while you assess it. Do not pour soil, rubble, water or chemicals into the hole, and do not place a gate, board or heavy object over it while an animal may be underground.
- Keep machinery off the suspected tunnel. A tractor, ute or excavator can collapse a roof or destabilise the surrounding ground.
- Contact help if there is an immediate risk. If the tunnel threatens a building, dam, road, stockyard or person, ask your local wildlife or land-management authority for site-specific advice rather than improvising a collapse or excavation.
How to tell whether the burrow is active
Observe from a distance over several periods instead of blocking the opening to “test” it. NSW Environment and Heritage notes that fresh droppings are often associated with active burrows. Look for recently disturbed soil, clear tracks, fresh droppings, a cleanly used entrance or the animal itself. The absence of a sighting does not prove that the burrow is empty: wombats may be underground or away feeding.
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Mark the location without touching the entrance—for example, with a visible stake well clear of the tunnel—and record photographs from a safe distance. Marking helps you see whether soil or droppings change and gives a wildlife officer a useful reference. Do not chase a wombat, shine lights into the burrow, smoke it out or wait at the entrance with a dog.
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NSW specifically warns that bulldozing an active burrow can bury wombats alive and cause a slow, painful death. That warning applies to any attempt to collapse, excavate or seal a suspected active burrow, not just to large earthmoving projects.
Why repeatedly filling the hole usually fails
Wombats are powerful, persistent diggers. A wombat may be following an established route rather than choosing the nearest weak spot at random. NSW says a determined wombat may try to go through or under an obstacle instead of going around it. Tasmanian guidance similarly cautions that patching or blocking a hole can lead the animal to reopen it or dig immediately beside the repair.
This is why a soil patch, a few rocks or a short piece of wire may appear successful for a day and then fail. The repair can also redirect digging to a less visible section of fence, where the animal may undermine a post or create a second hazard. Before repairing, decide whether the wombat must be excluded at all. A durable solution changes the route or the whole barrier, rather than treating one hole as an isolated defect.
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Choose between allowing passage and excluding the wombat
| Option | When it fits | Advantages | Limitations and checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wombat gate at a known route | The fence must still contain livestock or other animals, but the wombat’s crossing can remain open. | Preserves an established route and can reduce repeated damage and emergency patching. | It must be placed where the wombat already travels, built strongly enough for the site and checked so it cannot pinch, trap or injure wildlife. |
| Heavy-gauge steel mesh skirt or apron | The boundary genuinely needs greater exclusion from beneath the fence. | Extends the barrier outward or downward so digging at the fence line is harder. | Installation must be robust and wildlife-safe. A wombat may simply search for the next weak section, so inspect the whole fence. |
| Electric-fence wires | A properly designed electric exclusion system is suitable for the property and can be maintained continuously. | Can discourage approach without a solid underground barrier. | Requires reliable voltage, vegetation control and regular inspection. Tasmanian guidance notes that unintended animal deaths can occur; obtain local professional advice before choosing this design. |
| Simple patch or rocks | A temporary repair after you have assessed activity and confirmed that disturbance is lawful and safe. | Fast way to remove a small immediate gap in a non-critical section. | Not a dependable standalone solution. It may be reopened or cause digging nearby, and rocks must not fall into or seal an occupied burrow. |
Option 1: install a wombat gate on the established crossing
A gate is the most logical choice when the fence’s other purpose must be retained but wombat passage is acceptable. NSW and Tasmania describe wombat gates at known routes. The gate should be designed for the actual fence and animals on your property, not added as a generic flap over the hole.
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Locate the crossing
Use tracks, repeated digging and the line of the existing burrow to identify where the wombat is trying to pass. If several holes appear, do not assume the newest one is the only route. A wildlife officer or experienced rural fencing professional can help map the crossing without entering the burrow.
Make the gate compatible with the rest of the fence
Maintain the fence’s required height, tension and containment function around the opening. Remove sharp protrusions, pinch points and loose wire. The gate must swing or move freely, remain usable after rain and not close on an animal. Check the ground on both sides for washouts that could turn the opening into a trap.
Observe after installation
Monitor tracks and fresh soil for several days and after heavy rain. If digging shifts to the gate’s edges, strengthen the surrounding section rather than immediately closing the route. A gate that works at one crossing does not guarantee that another section of the property will remain untouched.
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Where a wombat cannot be allowed through, official guidance from South Australia and Tasmania describes sturdy wire mesh used as a skirt or apron. A suitable retail description is heavy-gauge steel reinforcing mesh for a fence skirt; that phrase describes a material category, not a guarantee that every product or mesh opening is safe for every site.
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Plan the barrier before digging
Inspect the complete fence for sagging wire, loose posts, drainage channels and existing animal paths. A wombat will test weak points away from the original hole. Plan how the skirt will meet corners, gates, posts and uneven ground so there is no short section that can be lifted or bypassed.
Secure the mesh continuously
Use robust mesh and fasten it firmly to the fence structure. The apron should lie or be anchored on the wombat side in a way that resists lifting and digging. South Australian guidance also identifies rocks as a possible reinforcement for a skirt. Place any rocks so they stabilise the mesh without rolling into the entrance, creating a crushing hazard or blocking an occupied burrow.
Keep wildlife safety in view
Do not install mesh directly over a burrow entrance while an animal may be inside. Avoid exposed cut ends, loops and gaps that can catch legs or heads. If the fence borders habitat used by other native animals, ask the relevant authority or a wildlife-experienced fencing contractor to review the design. After installation, inspect for trapped animals, new digging and places where the mesh has lifted.
Electric fencing: a specialist option, not a quick fix
Low electric wires can be part of an exclusion design, but they demand ongoing maintenance. Tasmania notes that vegetation can reduce performance and that unintended animal deaths may occur. A system that is unpowered after a storm, shorted by grass or placed where animals can become entangled is not a reliable or humane solution.
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If you consider electric fencing, obtain advice on local wildlife, livestock and electrical requirements. Plan for routine voltage checks, vegetation clearance, storm damage and safe access for people who maintain the fence. Do not add improvised wires around an active burrow or use electricity as a substitute for assessing the route.
What to do about an existing hole
Once you have observed the site and checked the applicable rules, choose the remedy that matches your decision about passage. If the route will remain open, stabilise the fence around it and install the gate or other designed opening. If exclusion is required and the burrow is confirmed empty by an appropriate authority, repair the fence and fit the mesh skirt as one coordinated job.
A temporary patch may be appropriate only when it does not seal an occupied burrow and when it protects people or stock from an immediate gap. Use it as a short-term safety measure while arranging a proper gate or apron. Recheck the site after rain, overnight activity and any sign of fresh soil; a reopened hole means the route problem is unresolved.
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Wildlife and burrow rules are not uniform across Australia. Check the current requirements for your state, land status and proposed action before disturbing, capturing or harming a wombat or its burrow.
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| Jurisdictional information in official guidance | What it means for a landholder |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Environment and Heritage guidance discusses active burrows, established fence routes and wombat gates, and warns against bulldozing active burrows. |
| South Australia | Department for Environment and Water guidance covers mesh skirts, rocks, monitoring and one-way gates. Separate protection guidance sets conditions for when burrow disturbance may occur without a permit and identifies protected-zone exceptions. |
| Tasmania | Natural-resources guidance covers gates, mesh and electric-fence approaches, as well as safe handling and referral of injured animals. |
| Victoria | The Conservation Regulator identifies common wombats as protected and describes authorisation requirements for wildlife-management methods, including burrow and fencing work. |
These summaries do not replace a permit decision. Contact the relevant state wildlife agency before you excavate, collapse, relocate, trap or otherwise interfere with a burrow. Local conditions may also apply on public land, conservation reserves, roadsides and protected zones.
Injured, orphaned or trapped wombats
Do not attempt to provide hands-on care, pull a wombat from a burrow or transport it without advice. Tasmania recommends contacting a trained wildlife rescue and rehabilitation service for an injured or orphaned wombat. Give the service the location, visible injuries, whether a joey may be involved and any immediate hazards, while keeping people and pets back.
If the animal is alive but trapped by fencing, do not cut wire or dismantle the structure while it is struggling unless an emergency professional instructs you. Improvised handling can worsen injuries and expose you to defensive bites or crushing force. Keep the area quiet and wait for qualified help.
Inspection and maintenance checklist
- Walk the full fence line, not just the first hole, looking for fresh soil, tracks, droppings, lifted mesh and leaning posts.
- Check gates after rain and make sure hinges, latches and ground clearances still work as designed.
- Remove sharp wire ends and repair sagging sections that could catch wildlife.
- Keep vehicles and heavy machinery away from mapped burrows and unstable ground.
- Record dates and photographs of new digging so you can identify a route pattern.
- For electric systems, test voltage and clear vegetation according to the installer’s instructions; never assume a wire remains effective after a storm.
- Recontact the wildlife or land-management authority if digging continues, the burrow threatens infrastructure or an animal becomes injured.
Practical decision guide
- Is anyone or anything in immediate danger? Isolate the area and call the appropriate local authority if infrastructure or people are at risk.
- Could the burrow be active? Assume yes until competent observation and local advice establish otherwise. Keep the entrance open.
- Must the fence exclude the wombat? If no, plan a gate at the established crossing. If yes, plan a continuous, robust mesh apron or another professionally designed exclusion method.
- Are you about to disturb the ground or animal? Stop and verify the state rules and any permit requirement first.
- Did the wombat appear injured or orphaned? Keep clear and contact a trained wildlife rescue and rehabilitation service.
The durable fix is the one that respects both the animal’s route and the fence’s purpose. A gate can accommodate a recurring crossing; a properly planned mesh skirt can strengthen an exclusion boundary. Repeatedly filling a single hole, sealing an occupied burrow or using an improvised electric wire addresses neither the behaviour nor the safety risk.
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