Nothing’s too rugged for these fencing contractors

Rugged terrain in the Marlborough high country has traditionally wreaked havoc with fences, but a high-performing contracting team has found that adding a bit of extra grunt to the materials used can help overcome the costly problems associated with poorly performing fencelines.

Michael Renner from Marlborough-based Renner Fencing discovered he could surmount the problems posed by uneven country, and reduce the reliance on heavy machinery, by stepping up the strength of the fencing products used in their work.

“Most of the time it’s very difficult to get the machinery in there to install wooden posts, and that’s why using steel fences has been particularly effective,” Mr Renner said.

Another reason for using steel products in the high country is due to issues faced by heavy snowfall.

“Our clients have found that using good quality steel posts in the high country has helped reduce sagging fences during heavy snowfalls,” he said.

“High snowfalls in these areas would push over traditional wooden posts, but using steel products keeps them going strong in the winter months.”

Although wooden posts are popular in the Marlborough region, Mr Renner said the cost of the wooden posts and the steel posts are in a similar range.

“With wooden posts, you have to use machinery to drive them into the ground, and that means money. Using Waratah fences might cost more in base materials, but machinery isn’t needed, and that helps to level costs.” However, it is not only the problems associated with machinery inaccessibility and snow that have been overcome by more strategic fencing. In the lower of the region’s four valleys, water pollution issues in vineyards have also been overcome.

“Installing netting over dams in the region has stopped feral animals and vine debris from polluting the water and clogging pumps,” Mr Renner said.

“Fencing using quality products saves farmers a lot in the long term. The Australian-made Waratah products we use are strong, made from quality steel and will last longer than other cheaper imported products.”

For more information and to place an order, visit https://www.waratahfencing.co.nz/products/wire or contact Brendon on 021 393 010.

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Published in WIRED issue 81/June 2026 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

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