Lipson Cove 1080 Rabbit Control Program
Rabbit Control Program Overview
The Council, with support from the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board will be commencing a 1080 Rabbit Control Program at Lipson Cove Throughout April and May 2025. This program follows Council’s recent undertaking of the release of RHDV-K5 (Calicivirus).
Since the release of RHDV-K5 at Lipson Cove in January 2025 Council has been monitoring its effectiveness. We are still seeing significant wild rabbit numbers at Lipson Cove.
Council is planning to undertake further revegetation work in the coming months at Lipson Cove and to further attempt to control wild rabbit numbers we will complete a 1080 rabbit control program. This will give our tube stock their best chance of survival from the negative impacts of wild rabbits upon native vegetation in this area.
Why Control Wild Rabbits?
Rabbits are known to:
- Damage native vegetation and crops
- Compete with wildlife for food and shelter; and
- Dig warrens that cause soil erosion, leading to the destabilisation of land and loss of revegetation.
Program Details
Oat trails will be laid within at the northern area of Lipson Cove before the Campground and within the revegetation fencing areas of the campground.
The program will focus on the following:
- Three (3) free feeds of plain untreated oats to attract rabbits between 17th to the 24th April 2025 inclusive.
- Poison Baiting 1080 treated oats on the 29th April 2025 to target rabbits.
The Lipson Cove Campground will be closed to the public on 29th April to 30th April 2025 Inclusive.
About 1080 Rabbit Control
More information about 1080 Rabbit Baiting for wild rabbits can be found on the Department of Primary Industries website:
The 1080 Rabbit Control program at Lipson Cove is outlined below for your information:
Project Phase | Task | Responsible Party | Date |
Bait Distribution (Free Feed Phase) | First free feed of oats | Council | April 17th, 2025 |
| Second free feed of oats | Council | April 22nd, 2025 |
| Third free feed of oats | Council | April 24th, 2025 |
Poison Baiting | Installation of Warning Baiting Signage | Council | April 29th, 2025 |
| Lay 1080 poison oat trail feed on predetermined approximate 700m trail | Council | April 29th, 2025 |
Post-Baiting Actions | Any uneaten oats along the baiting trails and deceased rabbit remains will be buried onsite. | Council | April 30th – May 1st, 2025 |
| Reopen campground with "CAUTION – baiting program completed" information on website and updated signage onsite. | Council | May 1st, 2025 |
| Continue staff searches for deceased rabbits. | Council | May 1st – 14th, 2025 |
Final Phase /Close | Remove signage from site and website. | Council | May 21st, 2025 |
Important information
Bait trails will be laid within the revegetation areas and north of the Campground. The public should not be entering upon any of the fenced revegetation areas and dogs are recommended to be on leash within the campground.
We advise the public that if you will be attending Lipson Cove in the coming months you must be aware:
- 1080 poisons pose an extreme risk to livestock and domestic dogs. Please take steps (e.g. restraint or muzzling) to make sure your dogs do not have access to the baits or affected animals.
- All baits remain toxic for at least 12 months, even after rain.
- Council will make every effort to remove all untaken bait, some may be moved by animals but not eaten, and these may remain on the ground.
- Council will erect signs warning of the program throughout the site.
1080 Baiting Maps
Please be aware that the below maps provide an approximate guide to the planned 1080 baiting trail locations. Bait trails are marked in red. Proposed site warning signage is marked in blue.
- Map – Lipson Cove Rabbit Baiting Plan – 1080 Rabbit Control 2025 (Whole site)
- Map – Lipson Cove Rabbit Baiting Plan – Lipson Cove – South (Campground)
- Map – Lipson Cove Rabbit Baiting Plan – Lipson Cove – North
Reporting Dead Rabbits
To help monitor the effectiveness of the program we encourage the community to report any sightings of dead rabbits through RabbitScan.
Supporting the Lipson Cove Environmental Management Plan
This Rabbit Control Program is an important part of working towards actions set out within the Lipson Cove Environmental Management Plan. By reducing the impact of invasive rabbit populations, we are working to protect the area's biodiversity and address environmental challenges such as soil erosion and continuing our effort with revegetation at the site.
Interested in Rabbit Control on your property
If you are interested in learning more or undertaking rabbit control on your property, please contact your local Landscape Board office.
For further resources and more information, you can explore:
- Wild rabbits - PIRSA
- Baiting for wild rabbits - PIRSA
- Landscape South Australia - Eyre Peninsula | Eyre Peninsula Landscape…
- Landscape South Australia - Eyre Peninsula | Pest animals
If you have questions or want to know more about this program, please contact Council on 8688 2101 or via dctumby@tumbybay.sa.gov.au