European rabbits

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The Victorian Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 classify pest animals in accordance to their threat to agriculture and the environment.

Agriculture Victoria (AgVic) takes the lead to control animals that are classified as 'High Risk' invasive animals, while landowners have a responsibility to control those declared as ‘Established’ invasive animals.

Find more information about pest animal management, who is responsible and where to begin at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). 

European rabbits are invasive pests throughout our region. They cause significant damage to the natural environment, to primary production, and the amenity of our parks and reserves.

Their impacts include:

  • loss of agricultural productivity (crops, pasture, and revegetation, horticultural or forestry seedlings)
  • soil erosion and associated impacts on infrastructure, watercourses and wetlands
  • competition with native animals for food and shelter, and selective grazing of preferred native plant species
  • maintaining fox and feral cat populations, which contribute to the extinction of native animals
  • off-target harm to native and farm animals from rabbit control measures such as baiting
  • financial costs of controlling rabbit populations

All landowners have a legal responsibility to control rabbits on their land. For more information about rabbit control, visit Agriculture Victoria.

We have also developed a helpful one-page calendar(PDF, 479KB) to guide your rabbit management activities over the year and a brochure(PDF, 2MB) explaining management options for peri-urban areas. The calendar is available as a handy fridge magnet and there are physical copies of the brochure available at our Library and Customer Service Centres in Alexandra, Yea and Kinglake. We can also arrange to have a magnet and brochure sent to you upon request.

 

 

 

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