We had a great day on 18th October 2025 with our first ever rabbit control demonstration day. The event was part of our Partnership against Pests program funded by the Victorian Government through Agriculture Victoria.
Neil Devanny a senior facilitator from the Victorian Rabbit Action network ran the session. Neil’s depth of knowledge and experience was clear to everyone as he gave us a comprehensive understanding of the rabbit problem as well as how to manage it.
Some key points were:
- Rabbit Control needs to be a community wide effort, rabbits will continue to come in from neighbours properties even if they are under control on an individual landholding
- The foundation of control is removing burrows and warrens. Rabbit can’t breed if they dont have warrens. Destruction of warrens breaks the breeding cycle
- It is unlikely that rabbits will be totally eliminated from an area so it does require ongoing efforts
- Rabbits like cover to create their warrens. Things like wood or junk piles or large weed outbreaks such as blackberries provide a perfect place for rabbits to build their warrens.
- Baiting and shooting can reduce numbers but removal of the warrens has the most effect and should be the starting point
There were also a number of practical demonstrations including:
- Smoking to see which of the holes were connected
- Fumigation
- Two lots of warren ripping using an excavator
- Removal of mounds and weed cover
- Baiting techniques
If you want to know more we recommend you go the Victorian Rabbit Action Network resources page here https://vran.com.au/resources/
We had over 20 people there on the day with a great mix of our members, Upper Plenty residents and people from surrounding areas such as Whittlesea, Eden Park, Kilmore, Clonbinane and Broadford.
A big thanks to Steve Hopper who arranged the excavator and did the demonstrations, Open House for the catering and Pete and Vicki Williams for making their property available.
A huge thank you to Neil and the Victorian Rabbit Action Network. Finally thanks to Agriculture Victoria who funded this event along with many others we have and are running as part of the partnership against Pest program.
If you are interested in getting weeds and rabbits under control we have to courses on the weekend of the 8th and 9th November that ill qualify you to get a permit for Agricultural Chemicals. Tickets are going fast and there are not many left, book here https://events.humanitix.com/weed-and-pest-control-courses
