Project description

The Bellarine Rail Trail provides a continuous link of indigenous vegetation between Geelong and Queenscliff, Victoria. The trail supports significant remnant vegetation communities, rare plants and a rich diversity of wildlife. It also contains European historic and Indigenous Cultural Heritage sites. This rich diversity is threatened by weed invasion, specifically Gorse, Flax-leaf Broom, Italian Buckthorn, Blackberry, and Mirror Bush. Since 2013, VicTrack Landcare Grants have provided funding to the Bellarine Catchment Network for its Bellarine Rail Trail Revegetation and Restoration project. This project has contributed to ongoing maintenance of project sites, as well as enabled new sites to undergo weed control and revegetation improving habitat connectivity and biodiversity.

Project aims

Project outcome

This most recent project specifically assisted landholders to control their rabbits through implosion of burrows using a Rodenator and fumigation of the warrens. CSIRO research shows that multiple methods are critical to successful eradication of rabbits. The results will continue to be monitored.