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By Catherine Watson
BASS Coast councillors are calling for urgent action on feral animals, voting at today’s council meeting for a report on eradication and control options for rabbits, feral cats and deer across the shire.
The motion, put forward by Cr Ronnie Bauer, responds to growing frustration from residents, particularly on Phillip Island, about damage caused by exploding rabbit numbers.
“The rabbit population on the Island is out of control,” Cr Bauer said. “They are burrowing under people’s homes and digging up gardens. The destruction of native flora is horrendous and the holes are also a real safety hazard. A person can easily twist an ankle or break a foot.”
BASS Coast councillors are calling for urgent action on feral animals, voting at today’s council meeting for a report on eradication and control options for rabbits, feral cats and deer across the shire.
The motion, put forward by Cr Ronnie Bauer, responds to growing frustration from residents, particularly on Phillip Island, about damage caused by exploding rabbit numbers.
“The rabbit population on the Island is out of control,” Cr Bauer said. “They are burrowing under people’s homes and digging up gardens. The destruction of native flora is horrendous and the holes are also a real safety hazard. A person can easily twist an ankle or break a foot.”
“The two questions I have been asked most are what's happening with the Phillip Island Rec Reserve and what is council doing about the bloody rabbits?”
Council officers noted that Bass Coast already works with Phillip Island Nature Parks and the Bass Coast Landcare Network on rabbit control, including trials of baiting, fumigation and fencing. A PhD research project is due to begin next year to test the effectiveness of different measures while minimising risk to threatened native species such as the eastern barred bandicoot.
Cr Bauer’s original motion called for action on a rabbit plague on Phillip Island but at his colleagues’ request was expanded to include feral cats and deer, and all parts of the shire.
But councillors say more must be done. Cr Mat Morgan welcomed the broader scope of the motion. “This is a very difficult problem, particularly with rabbits. This is a very difficult problem, particularly with rabbits, as a warming climate means they will breed like rabbits.
“I would love to say that I'm optimistic that this report will come back with some magic solutions.”
Cr Tracey Bell supported the motion and said Bass Coast should consider working with neighbouring councils such as Casey, which passed a similar motion this week.
Cr Tim O’Brien said the financial impact on residents was significant. “It’s very easy to walk out into your garden and see that two or three hundred dollars’ worth of plants you put in the day before have all gone. We need to know what steps residents and councillors can take.”
Cr Rochelle Halstead pointed to increasing reports of deer on local roads, describing them as a safety risk as well as an environmental issue.
Cr Bauer said while he accepted there was no easy solution, the community expected action. “Humans have a right to live here as well. I hope innovative control measures, together with the PhD student’s research, will finally yield some results.”
Council officers noted that Bass Coast already works with Phillip Island Nature Parks and the Bass Coast Landcare Network on rabbit control, including trials of baiting, fumigation and fencing. A PhD research project is due to begin next year to test the effectiveness of different measures while minimising risk to threatened native species such as the eastern barred bandicoot.
Cr Bauer’s original motion called for action on a rabbit plague on Phillip Island but at his colleagues’ request was expanded to include feral cats and deer, and all parts of the shire.
But councillors say more must be done. Cr Mat Morgan welcomed the broader scope of the motion. “This is a very difficult problem, particularly with rabbits. This is a very difficult problem, particularly with rabbits, as a warming climate means they will breed like rabbits.
“I would love to say that I'm optimistic that this report will come back with some magic solutions.”
Cr Tracey Bell supported the motion and said Bass Coast should consider working with neighbouring councils such as Casey, which passed a similar motion this week.
Cr Tim O’Brien said the financial impact on residents was significant. “It’s very easy to walk out into your garden and see that two or three hundred dollars’ worth of plants you put in the day before have all gone. We need to know what steps residents and councillors can take.”
Cr Rochelle Halstead pointed to increasing reports of deer on local roads, describing them as a safety risk as well as an environmental issue.
Cr Bauer said while he accepted there was no easy solution, the community expected action. “Humans have a right to live here as well. I hope innovative control measures, together with the PhD student’s research, will finally yield some results.”
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There are no “magic” fixes, but we do know what works. The best results come from integrated control: combining biological controls such as the calicivirus (RHDV), with habitat modification, warren destruction, exclusion fencing, and ongoing monitoring. The key is timing and coordination — for example, using biological control to reduce numbers, then following up by removing warrens so they can’t bounce back.
Some parts of the world have shown eradication is possible on smaller islands, but on a landscape as large and open as Bass Coast, the goal has to be sustained suppression. That means Council, Landcare, Parks, and private landholders all pulling in the same direction, and neighbouring councils working together so rabbits don’t simply move across boundaries.
When it comes to feral deer and cats, the same principle applies. Ground shooting, trapping, fencing, and habitat modification all have a role to play. Newer tools — like fertility control and drone detection — may add options in the future, but the most important thing right now is long-term funding and follow-through.
Finally, if this is to succeed it needs public confidence. That means minimising risks to native species, being upfront about the methods used, and reporting results openly. Done properly, feral animal control isn’t just about protecting gardens or farmland — it’s about giving our native plants and wildlife a fighting chance.