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Across the high plains of Kosciuszko National Park, where open grasslands meet fragile alpine wetlands, a new line of fencing has become an unexpected feature of the landscape. Stretching across Wild Horse Plain north of Kiandra, the electrified barrier drew attention from visitors who were unsure why such a large structure had appeared in an otherwise remote area.
Some questioned whether it was linked to nearby Snowy 2.0 works or changes beneath the ground. The reason, however, lies much closer to the surface: protecting a rare wetland system from damage caused by introduced wild horses.
How Australia’s alpine peatlands sustain rivers and shelter threatened species
The enclosure covers about 108 hectares of alpine wetlands, an area containing sphagnum bogs and associated fens that are considered endangered in both New South Wales and under Commonwealth environmental protections.These wetlands are not simply damp patches scattered across the mountains. They are slow-growing ecosystems formed where water remains trapped in the landscape, allowing plant material to accumulate over long periods and eventually create peat soils. The process happens gradually, but the result is a landscape that plays an important role in regulating water movement through the alpine environment.According to the study published in PubMed, titled ‘Role of Peat Moss (Sphagnum) in Reduction of Environmental Toxicity in Correlation with Various Microbes’, sphagnum moss and peat act like natural storage systems.
They absorb water during wet periods and release it slowly into streams, helping maintain flows in surrounding areas. The peat layers also preserve evidence of past vegetation and environmental changes.The wetlands provide habitat for several threatened species, including the broad-toothed rat, northern corroboree frog and stocky galaxias, a small native fish found in parts of the alpine region.
Why wild horses pose a growing threat to Australia’s fragile alpine peatlands
The fence was designed as a way to keep wild horses away from the sensitive peatlands. Horse activity in alpine areas has been linked to trampling, vegetation loss and changes to soil conditions, according to the study published in Austral Ecology, titled ‘Feral Horses and Their Environmental Impacts in the Australian Alps: Policy and Management Priorities’.When horses move through bog environments, their weight can break apart moss cover and expose the underlying ground. Once bare areas develop, the wetland can become more vulnerable to erosion and changes in how water moves through the site.Research into alpine peatlands in Kosciuszko National Park has highlighted the difference between areas affected by horses and those without horse activity. Sites with horse presence showed poorer soil and water conditions, while exposed ground released significantly more carbon compared with areas where sphagnum moss remained intact.Protecting the vegetation cover is also important because peatlands store carbon accumulated over centuries. Damage to these systems can reduce their ability to continue functioning as natural carbon stores.
Inside the $187,000 fence project funded to protect Australia’s endangered alpine wetlands
As reported by Australian news websites, the fence was completed in March 2026 after a government contract was awarded to JD Keys and MJ Keys. The project was valued at approximately $187,000, with work scheduled between February and March.The structure itself is difficult to miss. Rows of black steel star pickets support several electrified wires, with orange insulators visible along the fence line. Solar-powered units provide electricity, while gates and warning signs mark access points around the enclosure.The cost of the project came through biodiversity offsets associated with Snowy 2.0, the major pumped-hydro expansion project in the Snowy Mountains region.
Despite the funding connection, Snowy Hydro confirmed the fence was not part of construction activity for Snowy 2.0 and was unrelated to concerns about ground movement, subsidence or sinkholes.
Conservation fencing in the national park
Although a large fenced area may appear unusual in a national park, similar approaches have been used elsewhere in New South Wales to protect vulnerable ecosystems and native wildlife.Near the Victorian border, a 25-kilometre electrified predator fence surrounds a much larger conservation area at Nungatta in South East Forest National Park.
That project aims to prevent introduced predators from entering and create safer conditions for threatened native animals. At Wild Horse Plain, the goal is narrower: keeping horses away from a specific wetland system rather than creating a predator-free sanctuary.The use of fencing has been included in previous management strategies for Kosciuszko National Park’s wild horse issue. Earlier plans identified exclusion fencing as one possible tool, alongside other approaches, depending on the location, terrain and size of horse populations.
Managing wild horses in Kosciuszko
Wild horse management in Kosciuszko has been the subject of long-running debate, with different approaches considered for balancing cultural, environmental and conservation concerns.According to the NSW Government, the 2008 Kosciuszko National Park Horse Management Plan was later replaced by the 2021 Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan, which was amended in 2023. That plan is expected to remain until wild horse management is incorporated into a future park-wide management framework.The Wild Horse Plain fence represents one targeted measure within that broader effort. Rather than attempting to separate large parts of the park from horse populations, it focuses on protecting a small but environmentally important area.
Protecting native species around Snowy 2.0
The biodiversity offset funding behind the fence is also connected to other conservation measures in Kosciuszko National Park.As part of Snowy 2.0 approval requirements, Snowy Hydro has funded work aimed at protecting native fish species, including the stocky galaxias. This includes a specially designed weir near Tantangara Reservoir to reduce the risk of introduced fish reaching sensitive habitat, along with additional measures such as fine-mesh screens and breeding programs.
