Rabbits might be cute pets for kids, but what started as two dozen introduced rabbits for a hunting party in 1859 has, over the last 150 years, mushroomed into one of Australia’s biggest economic and environmental problems.
Australia’s history is littered with images and memories related to rabbits. Our grandparents at rabbit pie, grandfathers went on shooting parties and rabbit skins hung on barbed wire fences like trophies. But all the culling that has occurred by the thousands of farmers every year since, hasn’t stopped rabbits from being a massive problem in Australia.
In our region, on properties in and around the Bacchus Marsh, the conversation is the same -rabbits threaten crops, eat native shelter belts and cause erosion. ‘Rabbit problem’ is a term on many farmers’ lips and the community is having to work with programs like Grow West in order to make a dent in what is a massive problem.
In the Grow West area, the rabbit problem is significant. Recently, rabbit numbers on an 800 hectare Grow West project property, at Ingliston near Pentland Hills (10kms west of Bacchus Marsh), measured 99-150 rabbits per spotlight kilometre (the measure used). An acceptable level of rabbits is 0.5 rabbits per spotlight kilometre, which in simple terms puts it in the rabbit plague range.
The reality is that rabbits are not native to Australia and it takes less than one rabbit per hectare to prevent the successful regeneration of many trees and shrubs. One of the greatest issues with rabbits of course, it that they breed like…well, rabbits, and control is a year-long issue.
Tim Bloomfield, project coordinator for environmental project Grow West, based in the Bacchus Marsh/Ballan area, says rabbits, alongside pests like foxes, are one of the biggest threats to productive land in our region. And Bloomfield knows what he’s talking about, he has a 33 year career in pest management and has by his own admittance ‘a particular interest in fox and rabbit behaviour and management’.
“Rabbits can have a massive impact on the condition and productivity of land, and considering the Port Phillip and Western Port region contributes around one billion dollars to the local economy through agriculture, protecting our productive land becomes pretty important.
“While rabbits are just one factor in many that can affect productive land, my experience is that unchecked, the damage done by rabbits is compounded by the fact that degraded land is also likely to become affected by problem weeds and is more costly to rehabilitate, which are problems for agricultural viability,” Bloomfield explained.
Bloomfield says the Grow West project is taking a three-pronged approach to fixing the problem – pest control, weed control and rehabilitation – which are also designed to improve the environmental biodiversity, water quality and value of the land.
“It’s pretty important that landholders understand how all the different aspects can influence the other. In the last few weeks we have held some rabbit control information days that reinforce the importance of seasonal control of rabbits and maintenance programs to ensure rabbit numbers are kept low. Rabbit control isn’t a once a year activity.
“At the same time, we focus on fencing to protect native vegetation from stock, controlling recognised weeds such as serrated tussock which is a significant problem in the Grow West area, and replanting in areas that will benefit the landscape,” Bloomfield explained.
The Rabbit Control Day, and improving knowledge about and methods of rabbit and pest control, are some of the actions that will help rehabilitate the land in the area. Step two in the process is ongoing maintenance of rabbit numbers, fencing to protect remnant vegetation on properties and, where appropriate, replanting and revegetating the land.
For Grow West, July is a great time to reinforce the importance of all these aspects but with wetter soils, it’s also a good time to get stuck into planting and revegetating landscapes. Bloomfield would like to invite people to come along to Grow West’s Community Planting Day on July 18 at Ingliston to help take the next step on this property. The Grow West Planting Day is an annual event that brings the community together but also enables real work to be done in the project area.
“The Planting Day is a great day for us. Yeah, it’s about improving landscape and we’d like to put 5,000 trees in the ground, but it’s also a good day to share stories about the land, have a BBQ with some friends and you never know the subject of rabbits might come up. Everyone is welcome,” Bloomfield said.
Grow West Community Planting Day
WHAT: Grow West Community Planting Day – Plant 5,000 trees and BBQ
WHEN: Sunday 18 July, 9.30-3.30pm (you’re welcome anytime)
WHERE: Ingliston Park, Pentland Hills
CONTACT: Helena Lindorff on 9218 5613 or visit http://www.ppwcma.vic.gov.au to register
Tim Bloomfield- the rabbit man
Bloomfield could be called an expert in this field. He is the author of many publications about the control and management of rabbits, foxes and wild dogs. He was involved in researching foxes in urban Melbourne in the early 1990s, from 2001-2002 he advised the Tasmanian government on the establishment of the Fox Free Tasmania program and more recently was manager of the Phillip Island Nature Parks fox eradication program.
Tim can be available for interview and more information. To talk rabbits contact: Tim Bloomfield, Grow West Coordinator on 9218 5615
To join the planting day contact: Helena Lindorff, Grow West Works Facilitator on 9218 5613
For media enquiries contact: Anne Gigney, PPWCMA Communications on 03 8781 7903
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