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.

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Current operations

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Previous operations

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Current operations

Here is an overview of current rabbit control operations that are underway.

Gibbston Community Reserve

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

When will work start?

This work will occur from 9.00pm on Thursday 2 May 2024 for an estimated three-four hours. This operation is weather dependant with a postponement date of Friday 3 May 2024.

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 reserve 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.

  • Residents and businesses in the neighbourhood will be notified via a letter drop with details of the rabbit control operation. 

Rabbit Operation Control Area

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 Monday 6 May 2024, over seven weeks. This work will occur from 8.00pm to 2.00am on scheduled nights which will be weather dependent.

Operation dates: TBC

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.

Lake Hayes Walkway

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.

Previous operations

  • 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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