How to Choose the Right Construction or Farm Security Camera

Theft and vandalism remain a daily headache for rural properties and building sites. NSW farmers lost more than $930,000 to livestock theft in the first half of 2024 alone, and construction-site thefts in Victoria jumped 22 percent in the year to September 2024. Robust, purpose-built cameras are your first line of defence.

1. Start with the Problem You Need to Solve

Trail-style cameras are ideal for harsh Aussie conditions where power and internet are scarce, whereas fixed CCTV domes suit permanent shed or office installs. Decide first whether you need to:

• deter opportunistic thieves with a visible camera,
• secretly record evidence for police, or
• keep an eye on staff, stock or materials in real time.

Once the goal is clear, choosing resolution, housing and mounting height becomes far easier.

2. Map Your Hot Spots

Walk the boundary and list weak points: gates, fuel tanks, tool containers, stock yards and fence lines. Mount cameras high enough to avoid tampering, but angled to capture faces and plates. For quick coverage, our 4G Trail Camera with GPS ships with a strap and solar panel so you can lash it to a post in minutes.

3. Power Without the Headaches

Remote blocks rarely have mains power. Look for:

• Solar panels with internal Li-ion cells
  for true set-and-forget operation.
• Ultra-low standby draw
  so the unit survives cloudy weeks.
• A backup battery bay for AA or 18650 cells if you prefer swap-and-go.

The Low-Power 20x Zoom Solar PTZ Camera pairs a high-efficiency panel with a 20 Ah pack, giving up to three months of night-time recordings without sun.

4. Connectivity: 4G Beats Patchy Wi-Fi

Job sites and paddocks rarely enjoy stable broadband. A 4G camera with a 4G data plan (coming soon) sends footage straight to your phone, no router required. If fibre or Starlink is available, dual-mode Wi-Fi/PoE models offer higher bit-rates, but always test signal strength before you bolt the bracket in.

5. Trigger Speed and Frame Rate

A ute doing 40 km/h moves 11 metres in one second. Aim for a <0.4 s trigger and at least 25 fps to catch number plates. Multi-shot burst mode helps identify faces if the first frame blurs.

6. Night Vision That Doesn’t Give You Away

Select “black flash” (940 nm) LEDs so there is no red glow to alert intruders. Verify the rated infrared range matches your paddock width - 25 m for stock yards, 40 m or more for machinery bays.

7. Layer Cameras with GPS Tracking

Even the best footage can’t chase a stolen bobcat. Pair cameras with 4G GPS trackers on high-value assets. If the machine moves at 3 am you get an instant push alert plus video evidence - a combination insurers love.

8. Final Checklist Before You Buy

• IP66-rated housing
  for dust and heavy rain.
• Onboard storage plus cloud
  so thieves cannot just smash the SD card.
• Local warranty and support
  - Sentriwise experts answer seven days a week.

Ready to secure your site?

Talk to our team or explore the full Farm & Rural range and Job Site Security range. We’ll match the right camera to your power, coverage and budget needs - backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.