FENCING efforts in the North East are typical of Victorians' bushfire response statewide, writes KIM WOODS

Volunteers from church, four-wheel-drive and community groups have been quietly rebuilding fences across hundreds of kilometres in North East Victoria.

Fencing teams from NSW and Victoria have donated their time and labour to farmers affected by the February Black Saturday fires.

Fencing co-ordinator Hugh Forrest, of Mudgegonga, said the volunteers had already completed 110km of boundary fencing.

But a further 180km of bush boundary and 200km of other boundary fencing damaged by fire were yet to be started.

The damage is spread across 260 properties at Mudgegonga, Barwidgee, Rosewhite, Running Creek and Dederang.

"We have enough work for a couple of qualified loggers for a week to remove burnt trees from fencelines," Hugh said.

Over the Easter weekend, a team of 50 volunteers from a Sydney four-wheel-drive club joined other church, service group and farmer volunteers on the fencing effort.

Hugh said North East businesses had donated tonnes of steel, star pickets, strainer posts and wire.

With only a quarter of affected farmers covered by insurance, the re-fencing is stretching budgets at $6500-$7500 per kilometre for materials only.

"The costs are double for a dog fence, so a couple of hundred kilometres adds up to a lot of money," Hugh said.

Elders Myrtleford stock agent Stephen Street lives at Mudgegonga and owns one of five district farms untouched by the fire.

Stephen used his contacts in the livestock industry to organise sales of stock, agistment and fodder while pastures were still smouldering.

He also co-ordinated two public meetings to arrange assistance for fire-affected farmers.

Stephen spent two weeks loading and unloading trucks of donated fodder.

"I was needed, big-time," he said.

"Somebody had to step up and do it.

"Some cattle were sold straight away, but many of those weaners were destined to be sold anyway.

"Quite a few cows were on the point of calving, so they were unable to go out on agistment."

Stephen said a feed mixer donated by Keenan's had saved many cow herds.

"On three properties, there are 1000 cows relying on (the mixer wagon)," he said.

"We have had heaps of things donated, including stock blocks, hay and 20 tonnes of strainer posts and stays.

"It has been really great the way people have responded."