Rabbit and Gorse workshop to inform new landholders

Wallington residents Wendy Stott and Chris Blackmore, with Heidi Snow from the Victorian Gorse Taskforce and Sophie Small from Bellarine Landcare, inspect the Gorse to be mulched as part of the field day this Sunday.

BELLARINE’S small acreage landholders will have the chance to broaden their skills and understanding of pest plant and animal management at a Rabbit and Gorse Control Workshop on Sunday June 24 in Wallington.

Geoff McFarlane from Bellarine Landcare’s Rabbit Action Committee said that managing pest plants and animals requires skills and experience.

“This workshop can fast-track knowledge for new landholders keen to manage their land responsibly,” Mr McFarlane said.

Supported by the Victorian Gorse Taskforce, the workshop will focus on rabbit and gorse control, with demonstrations of gorse mulching, warren ripping and fumigation.

Taskforce communications, community engagement and extension officer Heidi Snow said that Gorse is often harbour for rabbits, so it makes sense to tackle the two together as an integrated approach.

“They both require landholders to be persistent, gorse seeds can remain in the soil for decades, meaning one year of seeding generates decades of weeding”.

Ms Snow will be offering advice and support on gorse control to Bellarine Peninsula landholders.

“The extension program aims to raise awareness and provide landowners with resources to confidently tackle gorse infestations on their property,” she said.

The Wallington Workshop will discuss monitoring of rabbit numbers through spotlighting and use of RabbitScan, as well as rabbit proof fencing, and a neighbourhood cooperative approach to managing rabbits and gorse.”

Just two rabbits can breed to 180 over an 18-month period Mr McFarlane explained.

“The warren is the key to the rabbit’s breeding success, if you can work cooperatively with your neighbours to map the warrens and follow up destroying them, then you are well on the way to a successful control strategy.”

The Workshop will be held at 1280 Bellarine Highway, Wallington (opposite the Flying Brick – look for the Bellarine Landcare signs) from 10am to 11.30 am on Sunday June 24. RSVP by June 22 to [email protected].

For more information contact Sophie Small, Facilitator, Bellarine Landcare Group on 0457 333 727 or Heidi Snow on 0428 335 705.