An invasive threat is reaching "plague proportions" in parts of Melbourne's southeast, leaving residents fuming as they continue to fend the destructive pests off their properties.
Locals living in the City of Casey say they have been inundated with rabbits in recent years, however a current outbreak has sent frustrations soaring even higher.
The animals are wreaking havoc in the council's southern suburbs, creating deep burrows and causing extensive damage to gardens, paddocks and parks.
A homeowner who declined to be named told Yahoo News the rabbits are out of control. Even photos don't do the "extreme" destruction they've caused justice, he said.
"If you drive down our street in the middle of the night you will see at least 100 rabbits in a 500m stretch," the resident detailed, explaining that he -- like most of his neighbours -- has been forced to bunny proof his garden with wire mesh.
The invasive species has also "destroyed" council parklands, triggering safety fears. "My main concern is kids and/or adults dropping their leg in one of the burrows -- they will break a leg!" the man added, noting the holes are quite deep.
The rabbits reportedly mainly emerge from the direction of Cranbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens. Photos taken in the neighbouring suburb of Botanic Ridge show several massive burrows carved into sandy roadside soil and front yards.
The persistent problem has prompted the Casey Council to take action, with councillors voting on Tuesday to create a pest management strategy for the entire local government area.
An interim pest management plan will also be created to target "priority rabbit areas", which includes Botanic Ridge and Junction Village, Michelle Crowther, councillor for the Cranbourne Gardens Ward, told Yahoo News.
"Casey's location presents a number of challenges in the managing pests like rabbits," she explained. "The increased local rabbit population has led to many impacts on landholders in Casey, particularly my ward.
"This looks like damage to gardens and the destruction of pasture and native vegetation. It's also having impacts on sporting ovals and assets and contributed to soil erosion."
Cr Crowther put forward the motion this week in the hope a pest management plan will allow the council "to assess and understand the full extent of the rabbit and pest issue" in the area. It's understood feral cats, foxes and deer will also be in the firing line.
To ensure success, Cr Crowther said the council will need to collaborate with all landowners and stakeholders, including landcare groups, community groups, private landholders, and state government land managers such as DEECA, Parks Victoria, and Melbourne Water.
Battling explosive populations of rabbits is not a new phenomenon in Australia. The animals have thrived since they were introduced in 1859. Now they inhabit two-thirds of the country, costing $197 million in lost agricultural productivity a year.
"I've come to learn that over recent years, there has been ideal rabbit breeding conditions across eastern Australia," Cr Crowther said. "Rabbits reproduce at an exceptionally rapid rate. A single breeding pair can generate dozens of offspring annually, with young rabbits reaching sexual maturity as early as three to four months, resulting in exponential population growth."
Heidi Kleinert, the national rabbit management coordinator at the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, previously told Yahoo that consecutive years of wet springs and summers have created "great" breeding conditions.
"We're seeing them move into towns," she said, noting rabbits threaten as many as 322 native species. While it won't be easy, Kleinert said she has "high hopes" the animals can be eradicated from the country if communities are committed to giving it a "good go".