Council
4 March, 2026
Pindone program has been one of the biggest ever undertaken locally
A coordinated, community wide effort to tackle wild rabbits across the Southern Highlands will come to a close this week.
A coordinated, community wide effort to tackle wild rabbits across the Southern Highlands will come to a close this week.
Since late last month landholders have joined forces with Wingecarribee Shire Council and local contractors in one of the largest Pindone programs every conducted locally.
Led by Local Land Services Biosecurity Officer Nick Cox, the 2026 Southern Highlands Pindone Program has been targeting six key locations — Bowral, Mittagong, Moss Vale, Exeter, Berrima and Penrose – in a united effort to reduce rabbit numbers and protect agricultural land and native vegetation.
“Wild rabbits don’t respect fence lines, so if we want real results, we have to work together,” Mr Cox said.
“This program is about getting whole communities involved at the same time so we can significantly knock down populations, rather than just shifting the problem from one property to the next.”
Up to 80 private landholders have been taking part in the program, alongside five Wingecarribee Shire Council sites and two major Southern Highlands golf courses.
Three contractors have been engaged to deliver baiting services across private and council managed land with more than six tonnes being distributed as part of the program.
Mr Cox said the strong level of participation reflects a growing understanding of the economic and environmental impact rabbits have across the region.
“Rabbits compete directly with livestock for feed, damage crops and gardens and contribute to soil erosion and loss of native vegetation,” he said.
“When seasonal conditions are favourable, populations can explode quickly. Acting early and acting together is critical.” In Berrima alone, more than 250 hectares of private land is being treated under the program.
The initiative has also supported broader land management outcomes, including compliance action where significant rabbit and blackberry infestations were identified.
Community education remains a key part of the approach. A rabbit management workshop held in Penrose on February 6 attracted 22 participants, providing landholders with practical guidance on coordinated control, legal responsibilities and long-term management strategies. “This isn’t just a one-off baiting program,” Mr Cox said.
“It’s about building awareness and giving landholders the tools and confidence to stay on top of rabbits well beyond this season.” Wild rabbits are a declared pest animal in NSW and coordinated programs such as this are essential to achieving sustained population reduction. For more information on managing wild rabbits, visit the NSW Government website or contact your local biosecurity officer on 1300 795 299.