Macmasters Beach: Rabbit numbers continue to grow, despite recent cull

A recent cull of rabbits across the coast has not put a dent in the population at Macmasters Beach according to a local resident who wants answers.

Rabbit numbers continue to grow in Macmasters Beach, despite a recent cull.

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Rabbit numbers are continuing to grow out of control across Macmasters Beach.

According to resident Max Nakhla, rabbit colonies are out of control in the beachside suburb, despite a recent feral rabbit reduction program run across the coast.

The program, run by Greater Sydney Local Land Services, was conducted in February and included the release of the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus.

Macmasters Beach resident Max Nakhla pictured outside his home with burrows in foreground. Picture: Sue Graham

Mr Nakhla said the virus was released on the lake side at Macmasters and, while it may have eradicated one colony, the numbers are still increasing.

“It didn’t even put a dent in the population, they are still everywhere,” he said.

“The damage they are doing to footpaths and properties is enormous. We’ve given up planting shrubs, they don’t even last a week. I see them all of the time; first thing in the morning and last thing at night. They don’t even run away from humans any more.”

He said he had contacted a number of organisations, including Local Lands Services, Department of Parks and Wildlife and Central Coast Council, however was not getting any answers.

More holes caused by the rabbits in Macmasters Beach. Picture: Sue Graham

“We need somebody to own the problem,” he said.

“I have been trying to get the problem fixed for the last three years but everyone just passes the buck. It’s also a problem at Avoca and Terrigal.”

He said the rabbits were digging deep holes in the local footpaths, causing major safety issues.

“You wouldn’t want to go walking at night,” he said. “I have heard so many people complaining about it.”

Greater Sydney Local Land Services Biosecurity team leader Lee Parker said Local Land Services worked with council and local land managers to roll out a feral rabbit reduction program in February.

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“The program saw the release of the K5 strain of the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus throughout the entire Central Coast including Macmasters Beach,” he said.

He said the virus was only used to complement other feral rabbit control methods on private and public land.

“Previous campaigns have shown that the best outcome we can expect from a RHDV release is around a 40 per cent reduction in numbers,” he said.

“We encourage landholders experiencing issues with feral rabbits to continue working with us to roll out co-ordinated control campaigns in partnership with their neighbours wherever possible. Our officers will lead another reduction campaign using a different strain of RHDV in 2019.”