Rabbit-Proof Fence: History, Movie, True Story & FAQs

Every great fence tells two stories: one of what it kept out, and another of what it held together. The Rabbit-Proof Fence in Western Australia stretches 1,833 km across the outback, yet its most famous journey wasn’t made by rabbits—it was made by three Aboriginal girls who followed it home in 1931.

Total length of No. 1 fence: 1,833 km (1,139 mi) (State Library WA) ·
Number of fences: 3 (No. 1, No. 2, No. 3) (Stuff You Missed in History Class) ·
Construction started: 1901 (State Library WA) ·
Distance walked by the girls: Approximately 1,600 km (Wikipedia)

Eight key facts, one pattern: the fence’s official identity vs. its cultural meaning.

What was the Rabbit-Proof Fence?

Purpose and construction

The Rabbit-Proof Fence was a series of barrier fences built in Western Australia between 1901 and 1907 to stop rabbits from spreading into agricultural areas (State Library WA). The No. 1 fence, the longest, stretches 1,833 km from the northwest coast near Port Hedland to the southern coast at Starvation Bay (State Library WA). Construction was a massive undertaking, with teams setting thousands of posts and miles of wire across harsh terrain.

History of rabbit infestations in Australia

Rabbits were introduced to Australia for hunting in 1859 and spread explosively (Stuff You Missed in History Class). By the 1880s, states had started building rabbit-control fences (Stuff You Missed in History Class). Western Australia, isolated by desert, hoped to keep its agricultural regions rabbit-free.

The three fence lines: No. 1, No. 2, No. 3

The fence consisted of three separate fences: No. 1 (the longest), No. 2 built in 1905 to cover a gap, and No. 3 farther east (State Library WA). Together they formed a 2,000+ km barrier system designed to block rabbits’ westward march.

Bottom line: The Rabbit-Proof Fence was a bold agricultural project that used steel and wire to fight an ecological invasion—but its most famous chapter was written by human feet, not rabbit paws.

Does the Rabbit-Proof Fence work?

Initial effectiveness and rabbit-proof design

The fence did slow the westward spread of rabbits for a time (State Library WA). The design—wire netting buried at the base—was meant to stop burrowing. However, rabbits had already been found west of the fence line by 1902, just a year after construction began (State Library WA).

Why the fence ultimately failed

By the 1920s, rabbits had crossed the fence in many places, and it became less effective (Stuff You Missed in History Class). Rabbits dug under gaps, found holes, and bred faster than repairs could keep up. The fence was a barrier, not a wall.

Modern remnants and maintenance

Today, the fence is no longer maintained for rabbit control, but parts still stand as heritage structures (State Library WA). Work on the State Barrier Fence began in 1901 and it is still maintained today as a livestock barrier (Stuff You Missed in History Class).

Bottom line: The fence bought Western Australia a few decades of partial protection from rabbits, but the biology of a breeding species overwhelmed the engineering. Its modern role is as a cultural artifact and livestock boundary, not a rabbit-proof shield.

What is the Rabbit-Proof Fence called today?

Current official name: State Barrier Fence of Western Australia

Officially known as the State Barrier Fence of Western Australia, it is also called the Rabbit-Proof Fence due to its original purpose (State Library WA). The dual name reflects its hybrid identity: an active agricultural structure and a historical landmark.

Role as a cultural landmark

The fence is a heritage-listed site and appears on maps as a historical feature (State Library WA). The State Library of Western Australia notes that the fence “has become synonymous in recent years with the Stolen Generation through the 2002 film” (State Library WA).

Tourist sites along the fence

Sections of the fence are accessible to visitors, with interpretive signage (State Library WA). Travelers can follow parts of the fence line near Jigalong and other outback towns, though many remote sections remain unmarked.

The fence’s name today reflects its layered history: a practical barrier that became a symbol of resilience.

What is the message in Rabbit-Proof Fence?

Themes of the movie and book

The story highlights the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families, part of the Stolen Generations (Wikipedia). The fence becomes a guide—a physical thread leading home. Director Phillip Noyce described the film as a way to tell the story of the Stolen Generations “through the eyes of the children” (Wikipedia).

Connection to the Stolen Generations

The phrase “Stolen Generations” refers to Aboriginal children taken from their families under official child-removal policy in Australia, which existed approximately between 1905 and 1967 (Wikipedia). The policy targeted mixed-descent children—then called “half-castes”—with the goal of assimilation and ultimately “breeding out” Aboriginal culture (YouTube explainer video, low confidence).

Resilience and survival

The journey of Molly, Daisy, and Gracie symbolizes resistance and the deep connection to land and family (Wikipedia). The film does not shy away from the brutality of the policy, but it centers the girls’ courage.

The dual legacy of the fence continues to shape Australian conversations about reconciliation.

Did Molly and Daisy ever see Gracie again?

The real story of the three girls

Molly Craig, Daisy Kadibil, and Gracie Fields were taken from their families in Jigalong in 1931 and sent to the Moore River Native Settlement (Wikipedia). They escaped and walked roughly 1,600 km home over nine weeks, following the Rabbit-Proof Fence as a navigational aid (Wikipedia).

What happened after their journey

Molly and Daisy completed the walk back to Jigalong, but Gracie was recaptured and taken to a different institution (Wikipedia). Molly later married and had a daughter, Annabelle, who was also taken away (Book review blog).

Gracie’s capture and later life

Molly and Daisy never saw Gracie again after they parted ways during the escape (Wikipedia). Gracie’s later life remains less documented than Molly’s, but her story is a reminder of how many Stolen Generations children were permanently separated from their families.

Bottom line: The escape was a partial success: two girls made it home, but Gracie was not among them. The reunion that never happened underscores the policy’s cruel logic of separation.

Timeline

Seven milestones track the fence from rabbits to resilience.

Clarity: Confirmed Facts vs. What’s Unclear

Perspectives on the Rabbit-Proof Fence

The Rabbit-Proof Fence has become synonymous in recent years with the Stolen Generation through the 2002 film.

— State Library of Western Australia (official heritage institution) (source)

I wanted to tell the story of the Stolen Generations through the eyes of the children.

— Phillip Noyce, film director (Wikipedia)

Molly was known as a ‘half-caste,’ the daughter of an Aboriginal woman and a white man—precisely the kind of child the policy targeted for removal.

— Book review blog (analysis of Doris Pilkington’s biography) (source)

The fence was our guide.

— Molly Craig (as recorded in oral history, cited in the film’s production notes) (Wikipedia)

The pattern: The fence—an agricultural structure—became a symbol of survival, but its original purpose remains largely forgotten outside Western Australia. For Australians, the Rabbit-Proof Fence stands as a dual legacy: a reminder of agricultural ingenuity and a symbol of the ongoing need for reconciliation. For travelers and history enthusiasts, the choice is clear: visit the fence to see its physical scale, but leave with an understanding of the human journey it guided.

Related reading: A Thousand Blows: True Story, Season 2 & Where to Watch

For a detailed account of the girls’ journey and the historical context, you can read the full story of the Rabbit-Proof Fence from an Australian perspective.

Frequently asked questions