The Murchison Regional Vermin Council (MRVC) is a statutory organisation which operates under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1995. Member councils are the Shires of Sandstone, Mount Magnet, Yalgoo and Cue. Each member Council nominates two delegates to serve on the MRVC and delegates elect from amongst themselves the Chairperson.
The MRVC was established in 1963 for the purpose of rehabilitation and maintenance of the No. 1 Vermin Fence and No. 2 Vermin Fence. The No. 1 Vermin Fence is 559 kilometres in length commencing at the 80 mile peg south near Lake Moore and ending at a location approximately 20 kilometres north of the Meekatharra/Wiluna Road. The No. 2 Vermin fence extends west from the No. 1 Vermin Fence for a distance of 163 kilometres terminating approximately 66.5 kilometres south east of the Great Northern Highway on the north western boundary of the pastoral station “Beebyn”.
Both fences were established over one hundred years ago to prevent the movement of rabbits from the east. Today control of rabbits is not the issue and the fence now plays a critical role in preventing the movement of wild dogs from the east into the Mid-West/Murchison region where the grazing of small stock is the principal activity of many pastoral enterprises. Both fences also play a role in preventing wild dogs and emus moving into the Agricultural regions of the Mid West.
In 2014 the MRVC took over from the Shire of Mount Magnet the responsibility for arguing the case for government funding to construct the Murchison Region Vermin Cell. This involved obtaining funding of some $4.2M to extend the Number 2 fence by approximately 275 km to join up with the State Barrier Fence. These funds were obtained in 2018 and 2019 and work on extending the fence is underway with a completion date of December 2021.
Once completed the Murchison Region Vermin Cell will enclose 55 pastoral leases. The MRVC is working closely with the Meekatharra Rangelands Biosecurity Association (MRBA), the organisation responsible for the control of wild dogs within the area of the vermin cell. The MRBA is an Incorporated Association with membership of all pastoral lessees within the vermin cell. Once the vermin cell is completed and wild dogs are controlled pastoralists will once again be able to produce small stock, such as sheep and goats, on a sustainable basis.