Declaration as a pest
In Victoria, feral or wild populations of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are declared as established pest animals under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (CALP Act).
Responsibility for rabbit control
Under the CALP Act all landowners have a responsibility to take all reasonable steps to prevent the spread of – and as far as possible eradicate – established pest animals from their land.
Agriculture Victoria is responsible for overseeing and enforcing rabbit control under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.
The City of Casey is responsible for controlling rabbits on Council owned and managed land.
What council are doing
Council supports an integrated approach to controlling rabbits and works with stakeholders including statutory authorities and other landowners to reduce rabbit numbers.
Council conducts targeted pest control actions to reduce the impacts of rabbits on Council land across the City of Casey. Control methods to reduce rabbit numbers include warren fumigation, rabbit-proof fencing, warren destruction and harbor removal.
Council is a member of the Eastern Regional Pest Animal Network, formed in a volunteer capacity to conduct research and develop a strategy to help minimise the impacts of pest animals across the region.
Council is currently developing a municipal‑wide Pest Animal Management Strategy, expected to be completed 2026-27. The strategy will define Council’s role in supporting coordinated, long-term pest animal management in partnership with landowners and other stakeholders.
Until the municipal-wide Pest Animal Management Strategy is finalised, Council has developed an Interim Pest Rabbit Action Plan to guide control on Council-owned land. This plan prioritises rabbit hotspots and areas where there are significant environmental or infrastructure impacts. Given limited resources, Council cannot respond to all rabbit-related issues, with lower priority given to nuisance impacts such as small-scale digging in nature strips.
Resources
- Visit Agriculture Victoria for information on managing rabbits.
- The Victorian Rabbit Action Network run training and mentoring programs, deliver workshops on best-practice rabbit control, and support people and organisations to collaborate on rabbit action.
- Visit Pest Smart.
- Connect to your Local Landcare or Friends group.
Further information
For more information you can also download our resource, Rabbits as a Pest - Further information for Land Owners.