The Rabbit Pest in New South Wales.

Scarce engraving showing the rabbit problem in New South Wales in 1883.

“The keeping of rabbits of any kind is now prohibited by law, with a penalty of £100 for every offense proved. This may seem severe, but it is stated that the rabbit pest can be traced, in large measure, to a few rodents which were thoughtlessly let loose. It is marvelous how rapidly their numbers become multiplied in the pastoral districts, in several of which they have completely eaten out the sheep. In reference to the ravages of these unwelcome animals, Mr. Maxwell of Cobar says: ‘Once rabbits get on a run, it is a constant outlay. In a small paddock of 40 acres, I have seen three men constantly killing four and five dozen per day for months together, and still they kept coming. That was twelve years ago. They tried killing for several years. Before the rabbits came, we used to have 70 and 80 percent of lambs and ran three sheep to four acres. In less than three years, we could not rear a lamb, and it took four acres to keep one sheep alive, and all our cattle died. Then we fenced with paling and kept them out of the run and kept killing—trapping, shooting, hunting with dogs and ferrets, and poisoning. The brutes kept coming most of the time into the little paddock, as it was the sweetest feed. There are still rabbits on the place, and men have to be kept to keep them down.’ At first, Victoria was the principal sufferer, but somehow or other, the rabbits have crossed the Murray, spreading devastation and panic throughout the southwestern portions of the colony and ruining the prospects of numbers of hardy settlers. How far the Rabbit Nuisance Act will aid in abating the evil remains to be seen, but if it fails, the situation will be one of the gravest character.”

From the original edition of the Illustrated Sydney News.  

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 440095
State Library New South Wales: F8/39-40
State Library Victoria: CINF SLVIC=1853-1872-RARENSL N.S.W.