Darling Downs-Moreton Rabbit Board fence

When rabbits first reached Queensland in the 1880s from the southern states, a fence was quickly constructed along the border in an attempt to keep them out.

In 1930, all existing rabbit boards were abolished except three - the Leichhardt, Darling Downs and Moreton. In 1963, the Leichhardt Rabbit Board closed and the Darling Downs Rabbit Board took over 80 km of the fence, extending it west of Chinchilla. The following year, the Darling Downs Rabbit Board and the Moreton Rabbit Board merged and became the Darling Downs-Moreton Rabbit Board (DDMRB).

The DDMRB is required to take reasonable steps to ensure the board area, which includes Ipswich City, Toowoomba Regional, Lockyer Valley Regional, Scenic Rim Regional, City of Gold Coast, Logan City, Southern Downs Regional as well as Western Downs Regional Council areas, is free of rabbits. Major funding for operations comes from annual payments collected by Biosecurity Queensland from the 8 local governments that make up the Board's operational area.

The Darling Downs-Moreton Rabbit Board (DDMRB) fence is now 555 km long and stretches from Lamington National Park in the east, to Goombi in the south-west where it connects to the wild dog barrier fence. It protects about 28,000 square km within southern Queensland.

DDMRB officers patrol the fence, maintain or rebuild the fence to keep it in rabbit-proof condition, and maintain access tracks as required. They also maintain all DDMRB assets where appropriate, such as installing and maintaining grids and gates in the fence.

The DDMRB fence provides a unique form of protection against the incursion of rabbits, and has successfully prevented the establishment of rabbits within its boundaries.

If rabbits are found within the DDMRB district area, the Board and Local Government will assist landholders in the control.