Between 1901 and 1907, Western Australia built State Barrier Fence, a massive structure stretching 3,256 kilometers, to contain rabbits that had been introduced to the region. The rabbit problem began in 1859 when Thomas Austin brought 24 wild rabbits from England to allow hunting. Over time, their population exploded, threatening local agriculture. In response, the Western Australian government commissioned the construction of three fences to stop the spread. The first fence, completed in 1907, was the longest continuous fence in the world at the time, running from Starvation Boat Harbour on the south coast to Cape Keraudren north of Port Hedland, covering 1,833 kilometers. The construction of the first fence alone required 120 men, 350 camels, 210 horses, and 41 donkeys over six years. The fence was designed with wooden posts and buried 16 centimeters underground to deter digging animals. A 3.7-meter path was cleared on the eastern side for maintenance, and a 2.4-meter firebreak on the western side. Gates were placed approximately every 3 kilometers to allow access. The project was led by Alfred Canning, who later mapped the famous Canning Stock Route. Due to the lack of water sources in the desert, pack animals played a crucial role in transporting supplies. To ensure the fence remained intact, patrols were conducted first on bicycles and later on camels. Four inspectors each managed 800 kilometers of the fence, while 25 patrolmen covered 160 kilometers each. These "fence runners" were paid 213 pounds per year to inspect, repair, and maintain the structure. Their camps were set up near water sources, spaced about 30 kilometers apart. Despite these efforts, rabbits had already found ways through the fence before its completion, prompting the construction of two additional lines behind it. By 1927, the fence was no longer effective in stopping the spread of rabbits. Biological control methods, such as myxomatosis in the 1950s and calicivirus in the 1980s, eventually helped reduce their numbers. Some parts of the fence were later abandoned or transferred to local authorities, but the structure still exists today as the State Barrier Fence. It now marks the boundary between the Great Western Woodlands and the Wheatbelt in its southern half. The fence also gained international attention in the 1930s when three young Aboriginal women walked over 1,600 kilometers along it to return to their families in Jigalong, escaping the Moore River Native Settlement.