Hares and rabbits are different.
- A hare is larger, has longer black-tipped ears, and is less social than a rabbit.
- Rabbits tend to hold their tail up when hopping away, so you’ll see a white tail 'flash’.
- Hares tend to hold their tail down when moving, so the white tail is not obvious.
- Hares live completely above ground, so they do not damage the environment by burrowing like rabbits.
- Hares don't spread as fast as rabbits – they have smaller litters, less often.
Have you seen a rabbit? Please report all sightings to the Darling Downs-Moreton Rabbit Board to help contain the rabbit population.
Managing wild rabbits
Under the law, landowners must manage wild rabbits on their property. Take these steps to manage rabbits on your land.
Inspect your property
Check your property for areas that offer suitable habitat for rabbits. Look for:
- fresh rabbit scats
- warrens, signs of burrowing or patches of disturbed soil
- well-worn trails that lead under fences or into areas where rabbits might hide.
If you find evidence of rabbits on your property, talk to your neighbours about activity beyond your property. It takes community cooperation to eradicate rabbits, especially in acreage areas.
Destroy rabbit habitat
Destroy warrens and areas where rabbits hide – this is the best way to remove them. Rabbits quickly re-colonise if you leave warren systems in place.
You may need to remove flooring to destroy warrens under sheds and buildings. Temporary fencing can stop rabbits returning. Use wire netting or corrugated iron and dig it into the ground around the perimeter of the building.
Remove all nearby piles of rubbish. Rabbits may use these as an alternative home.
Capture and trap rabbits
Use a drop door cage trap to capture wild rabbits. This trap works well in sheds, and under floorboards.
Place diced raw carrots or pungent broccoli where rabbits are feeding, for several days. Disable the trap and leave it open for 2 or 3 nights with bait leading into the cage to entice rabbits to enter.
You must not release a captured rabbit.
Exclusion fencing
Create an exclusion fence at least one metre high to stop rabbits entering your property. Use 50 millimetres wire mesh and bury it an additional 30 centimetres into the ground to stop burrowing.
Regular inspections of your property
Inspect your property monthly for evidence of rabbit activity:
- Visual inspection – check during the daytime for fresh rabbit scats, diggings or holes in or under perimeter fencing.
- Nocturnal inspection – use a spotlight or torch to look for feeding rabbits.
Only use acceptable control measures
In rural areas, landowners can use control methods like fumigating, ripping warrens and harbour destruction, which are essential for the continued long-term reduction of rabbit numbers. These measures are not acceptable in urban areas.
Darling Downs-Moreton rabbit fence
The Darling Downs-Moreton Rabbit Fence protects agricultural land in south-eastern Queensland from rabbit devastation. The 555 kilometre-long fence runs from Mt Gipps in the east, to Goombi in Queensland’s south-west. Here it connects to the Wild Dog Barrier Fence.
Darling Downs-Moreton Rabbit Board (DDMRB) manages this fence with funding from Logan City Council and 7 other local governments.
More information
You can report rabbit sightings or domestic rabbit keeping:
For help with rabbit control methods and techniques, see the Darling Downs-Moreton Rabbit Board website.
You can email enquiries@ddmrb.org.au or phone them on 07 4661 4076 for advice.
