Council called for information about where rabbits were proliferating in August after receiving reports about numbers of the animals increasing on the coast. 

“We want to establish a community-based monitoring system before we carry out the most suitable rabbit control program,” Eurobodalla mayor Lindsay Brown said at the time.

A council spokeswoman said there was a big response from people about rabbit problems across the shire, even from as far as Bega, but not from council’s target areas of Dunns Creek Road, the Tomakin area, Mogo, Jeremadra, Mossy Point and Broulee.

“As a result, we are planning two public meetings in these areas early this year to get a better understanding of the extent of their rabbit issues,” the spokeswoman said.

“We will issue a media release and post information on our website and Facebook page when we have set the dates, times and locations of these meetings.”

Council has been active in its rabbit control measures in recent years, carrying out culling exercises using professional marksmen.

Broulee and Mossy Point Dunecare’s Andrew and Lynn Bain conducted night time rabbit counts last year using spotlights, following a fixed route around Broulee and Mossy Point.

“There were lots of rabbits, moreso in Mossy Point because the soil is clay rather than the sand at Broulee,” Mr Bain said.

“There was nowhere we didn’t see them.”

The Bains live at Broulee and there are many burrows near their property.

“They like native grassland and their burrows cause erosion,” Mr Bain said.

“They are a declared feral pest and have to be controlled.”

However, the Bains believe that if they are culled, it is important that they aren’t the only introduced pest that is.

“Rabbits are the main diet of foxes, so it is important that they are culled at the same time, or native animals will suffer,” Mr Bain said.