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Rabbit Control: Shooting Operations

We're carrying out control work to reduce rabbit numbers in our district’s reserves to help decrease the effects they have on vegetation. Council will be conducting monitoring, night shooting and other control methods during 2024.

To keep members of the public safe during these works, professional contractors on site will ensure control areas are unable to be accessed while shooting is underway. Personnel will be clearly visible at all times and signage will be in place when control works are underway. Residents living near the affected areas will be notified in advance.

To find alternative trails to walk your dog during rabbit shooting operations in your area, check out the interactive map below:

Note: Zoom in on map to see colour coded trails indicating where dogs must be on leash (blue), can be off leash (green) or not allowed (red).

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Current operations

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Previous operations

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Current operations

Luggate Reserves

A professional contractor will carry out rabbit control Alice Burn Drive and Jackson Rise Reserves in Luggate.

When will work start?

This operation will happen two to three nights a week from Tuesday 7 May 2024, over seven weeks. This work will occur from 8.00pm to 2.00am on scheduled nights which will be weather dependent.

Confirmed operation dates:

Scheduled for:

  • Tuesday 7 May, Thursday 9 May, Sunday 12 May

  • Tuesday 14 May and Sunday 19 May

  • Tuesday 21 May and Sunday 26 May

  • Tuesday 28 May and Thursday 30 May

  • Sunday 9 June

  • Sunday 16 June

  • Thursday 20 June

  • Thursday 27 June

  • Sunday 30 June

Further dates will be provided here once confirmed.

What to expect

  • Professional contractors will be carrying out night shooting within a cordoned off area. Police are aware of this work. Signage and personnel will be at all main entry points to ensure no one can enter the area during the operation.

  • Please respect the cordon and DO NOT ENTER when signage and personnel are present.

  • Public walking tracks will be closed. If members of the public are asked to leave an area for their safety, please do so.

  • Rabbit carcasses will be retrieved and removed.

  • Please be aware that noise from firearms, which are suppressed, might be heard outside the reserve.

Please note that rabbit control will be taking place over May-June on private neighbouring farmland as part of a joined-up pest control approach. The contractor will be providing information via a letter drop for planned shooting in the Willowridge area. Be aware that shots may be heard during these operational times also.

Rabbit Operation Control Area

Lake Hayes Walkway - West

A professional contractor will carry out rabbit control on the Lake Hayes Walkway between Marshall Avenue and Rutherford Road during May and June.

When will work start?

This operation will happen between 8.00pm and 2.00am over four nights; Tuesday 7 May, Tuesday 14 May, Tuesday 18 June and Tuesday 25 June 2024.

This work will be weather dependent with a postponement date of the following night of the scheduled shoot date.

What to expect

  • Professional contractors will be carrying out night shooting within a cordoned off area. Signage and personnel will be at all main entry points to ensure no one can enter the area during the operation.

  • Please respect the cordon and DO NOT ENTER when signage and personnel are present.

  • Access to this section of the Lake Hayes Walkway be closed and if members of the public are asked to leave the area for their safety, please do so.

  • The Police along with the neighbouring residents and businesses have been notified of this operation. The Department of Conservation have been informed of this activity and have approved temporary closure of the track.

  • Please be aware that noise from firearms, which are suppressed, might be heard around the Lake Hayes area.

  • Rabbit carcasses will be retrieved and removed.

Rabbit Operation Control Area

Lake Hayes Walkway - East and Pavilion

A professional contractor to carry out rabbit control around the Lake Hayes Walkway East and Lake Hayes Pavilion during July.

When will work start?

This work will occur between 8.00pm to 2.00am on Monday 1 July, Monday 15 July and Monday 29 July and will be weather dependant. If the operation is cancelled due to bad weather it will be postponed to the following night of the scheduled shoot date.

What to expect

  • Contractors will be carrying out night shooting within a cordoned off area. Police are aware of this work. Signage and personnel will be at all main entry points to ensure no one can enter the area during the operation.

  • Please respect the cordon and DO NOT ENTER when signage and personnel are present.

  • Access to the east section of the Lake Hayes Walkway and the Lake Hayes Pavilion will be closed during the operation. This will include the Pavilion and Rowing Club carparks. If members of the public are asked to leave an area for their safety, please do so.

  • Please be aware that noise from firearms, which are suppressed, may be heard around the Lake Hayes area.

  • Rabbit carcasses will be retrieved and removed where possible.

Rabbit Operation Control Area

Previous operations

  • A rabbit control night shooting operation took place at Gibbston Community Reserve on Saturday 8 June (8.00pm-1.00am) to help decrease the effects the rabbit population have on the vegetation in the reserve.

    Rabbit Operation Control Area

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  • A professional contractor carried out rabbit control in the Gibbston Community Reserve off Coal Pit Road, Gibbston

    This work commenced on Thursday 2 May 2024 for an estimated three-four hours.

    Rabbit Operation Control Area

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  • A rabbit control night shooting operation took place at Te Kararo Queenstown Gardens on Wednesday 13 March from 9.00pm for an estimated three-four hours. The operation was originally planned for Tuesday 12 March, but was delayed due to poor weather.

    Professional contractors carried out the operation within a cordoned off area and any carcasses were removed. Signage and personnel present at all main entry points to ensure no one could enter the area when shooting was underway. Public walking tracks were closed and members of the public asked to leave the area for their safety.

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  • A rabbit control night shooting operation took place at Te Kararo Queenstown Gardens on Tuesday 12 December from 9.00pm for an estimated three-four hours.

    Professional contractors carried out the operation within a cordoned off area and any carcasses were removed. Signage and personnel present at all main entry points to ensure no one could enter the area when shooting was underway. Public walking tracks were closed and members of the public asked to leave the area for their safety.

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  • A rabbit control night shooting operation took place at Te Kararo Queenstown Gardens on Wednesday 29 November from 9.00pm for an estimated three-four hours.

    Professional contractors carried out the operation within a cordoned off area and any carcasses were removed. Signage and personnel present at all main entry points to ensure no one could enter the area when shooting was underway. Public walking tracks were closed and members of the public asked to leave the area for their safety.

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  • It was identified that the rabbit population in and around reserves at the old oxidation ponds on Ballantyne Road was posing a nuisance to neighbours and users of Council-owned reserves, damaging property and eating vegetation and plantings.

    QLDC carried out control work to reduce rabbit numbers in these reserves.

    Operation area

    Methods of control

    QLDC used professional contractors and made every effort to ensure members of the public couldn't access areas where shooting was underway. Shooting took place between the hours of 9.00pm to 2.00am.

    All direct neighbours were notified of night shooting by our contractor.

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