atourtable

blogs.abc.net.au/australiaallover/2010/09/rabbits.html Modern day control

On Christmas day 1859 Thomas Austin, a self-made wealthy settler, released 13 European wild rabbits on his estate, Winchelsea, Barwon Park, Victoria. They had been specially collected and sent to him by a relative in England.

However, this was not the first diffusion of rabbits on the continent. Andrew Miller, commissary for the First Fleet, listed five rabbits on the initial transport. They were probably silver greys, a popular breed for hutch rearing in England at the time. But they were never released into the wild.

The results of the release of the European wild rabbits at Winchelsea was quickly apparent. By 1866 hunters bagged 14,000 rabbits on the Bawron Park estate. With abundant food sources, good ground cover and a lack of predators, the rabbits raced across the landscape.

By 1880 rabbits had crossed the Murray River to New South Wales and had reached Queensland by 1886. In 1894 they had traversed the Nullarbor and populated Western Australia.
The rate of spread of the rabbit in Australia was the fastest of a colonizing mammal anywhere in the world.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, different methods of rabbit control were tried, including trapping, rabbit warren ripping, fumigation and bounty systems. However, the most visible control method was fencing.

The most iconic barrier was the rabbit-proof fence built between 1901 and 1907 that extended 3256 kilometres north to south across Western Australia.

Rabbits are one of Australia’s most visible introduced species. Australia’s native plants and animals adapted to life on an isolated continent over millions of years but since European settlement they have had to compete with a range of new animals for habitat, food and shelter.

These introduced species have had a major impact on our country’s soil and waterways and on native plant and animal diversity.

Source:
www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/rabbits-introduced

Thanks so much for this History lesson..

History seems to follow us

Preparation in 1965..

A 160-acre (65 ha) property near Beerwah Mountain was purchased by Robert Fullerton in 1913. In a government ballot opening more land for selection Fullerton acquired Portion 14V 4 kilometers from Glass House Mountains on the eastern side of the Old Gympie Road. The family arrived at Glass House Mountains on 3 June 1914. The older boys and their father followed a few hours later on goods train with their stock which comprised of an old horse ‘Dick’, two cows and a calf, a cat, and her kittens. Delighted at the beauty of the region Mrs. Fullerton named their selection ‘Dunnottar’ as the mountain reminded her of the country they had left behind. Hardworking Robert Fullerton cleared 2 acres of standing timber but when ready to plough poor old Dick the horse died. He set to work and dug the soil by hand with shovels and spades. Shortly after this, he planted his first pineapple crop. This crop was to sweep a new era of prosperity into the district. The industrious Fullerton family planted citrus and small crops including strawberries and Rosellas. Since those early days, the Fullerton families have produced and established large-scale pineapple and citrus farms throughout the Glass House Mountains district. They have helped shape policies on quota deliveries of pineapples and are a powerful force in the overall enterprise including connectivity to the Golden Circle cannery. Source: heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Stories/Agriculture/Bil...

I bet a good meal was had by all! LOL!

Mary river runs through Maryborough and provides access to some great fishing spots around Maryborough. The Mary River is usually dirty water, upstream is freshwater which makes it the perfect environment for Barramundi and Crocodiles. In fact Maryborough marks the start of Barramundi fishing. Further upstream the Mary River has Barramundi and Mangrove Jack, there is no fishing within 400m of a barrage. Past the barrage is fresh water and is stocked with Australian Bass which are great fun on light tackle. There are also stocked impoundments close by, Lenthall and Monduran are both stocked with Barramundi, Bass and Golden Perch. Source: www.fishingspots.com.au/s/maryborough/