Australian Fence Publishing
We are a specialist publishing house producing high-quality print-on-demand books focussed on rural fencing. We welcome submissions - both Australian and international - of manuscripts within the broad field of rural fences, especially historical.
Founder: Dr John Pickard Rural Fencing Researcher
After a career as a vegetation ecologist and geomorphologist studying vegetation in Australia and Antarctica, John Pickard began researching rural fences in the late 1980s. At the time he was studying the nuances of the impact of European grazing on semi-arid lands. Fences were among the primary tools used to manage sheep and cattle, and thus understanding the fences assisted in the overall project.
He has published numerous papers on the history of Australian fences, including the Illustrated glossary of Australian rural fences (2009), and culminating in his PhD thesis Lines across the landscape: history, impact and heritage of Australian rural fences (Macquarie University, 2010).
After failing to interest commercial publishers in drafts of his work on wire strainers, he established Australian Fence Publishing in 2021.
His contribution to our knowledge of the history of fences was recognised by the Australian Fencing Awards as Champion 2021.