Five years after securing an $8.5m Queensland Treasury Corporation exclusion fencing loan, the Balonne Shire Council has declared the move a success.
The decision to choose the loan route was scrutinised at the time, with landholders in a number of rural Queensland shires looking for ways to manage the cost of fencing their places to exclusion standards.
Both Blackall-Tambo and Barcaldine Regional Council mayors Andrew Martin and Rob Chandler were strongly opposed to undertaking similar schemes, with the former saying he didn't want to administer a scheme that would expose ratepayers to more debt.
Balonne Shire mayor Samantha O'Toole said an economic report by Hall Chadwick that council commissioned, looking into the effects of the exclusion fencing program, showed it was delivering a $100 million increase in agricultural income and around 230 extra jobs in the shire.
As well as the Treasury loan, $5.5m in state and federal grants have seen 1692km of fencing constructed in the shire, which encompasses an area of 695,554 ha on 87 properties.
More than 66 per cent of the shire is now fenced with exclusion fencing.
The report identifies the loan and grants as a catalyst that inspired additional private farm funding to create a total of $44 million investment in exclusion fencing in the shire.
It has identified significant reduction in stock losses and a significant improvement in employment, stock reproductive rates, and the overall wellbeing of landholders.
According to the report, the greater ability for on-farm diversification has generated an additional $42 million in investment in plant and equipment, yards and sheds, internal fences and water improvements on local farms.
An unexpected benefit was an expansion in cropping as a result of the exclusion fencing also excluding feral pigs.
Cr O'Toole said she was heartened by the results detailed in the report.
"It's great to see the benefits all laid out in this report," she said. "This has been a collaborative effort with landholders making a 50:50 contribution, where council coordinated a special rate for landholder loans from Queensland Treasury Corporation."
Thirty-eight properties took up the special rate at varying levels depending on fencing needs, and participating landholders receive a six-monthly rates notice with the relevant figure based on the loan schedule with QTC.
Years 1 and 2 were interest and payment-free, years 3 to 5 were interest-only, and in years 6 to 20 participants will be paying off interest and principal.
Cr O'Toole said there was no impact on council's bottom line as the special rate payments meet the loan repayments.
"We are seeing benefits from farmers regaining control of their properties and being prepared to invest and diversify," she said.
"For our small shire to see an increase of around 230 jobs from one, mostly grant funded program, is a great outcome for locals and landholders alike.
"We know that farmers are a resilient bunch, but to see the results of this report identifying a reduction of landholder's stress levels and an improvement in positivity about their future was great to see."
Cr O'Toole said they would evaluate the program's ongoing outcomes every two to three years, and will continue to look for further grant funding opportunities to keep developing the exclusion fencing program.