In the early 40's when rabbits ruled the farmers land
The townfolk were asked if they could give a helping hand
Us townies got together to help the farmers out
We'll catch those rotten rabbits they complain about
So the local kids and adults gathered to the fray
Worked our little hearts out to get ready for the day
We patched holes in netting fences,ripped up the rabbits homes
We built a holding yard, with lots of grunts and groans
Then, on the day we planned, we all gathered on that farm
A big bunch of townies, out to do the rabbits harm
We drove the paddocks one way to make the rabbits run
We banged on tins and shouted just like townies having fun
The bunnies ran in front of us, some turned back and ran
Our holding yard soon was full, the slaughter then began
Eleven thousand rabbits lost their lives that fatal day
Yet for every one we killed, another got away
It was the time of rabbit plagues in this land down under
With rabbit burrows everywhere and farmland torn asunder
But the numbers of the rabbits caught made little difference
Not did it help to spend your cash on a netting fence
But science had an answer, it was their diagnosis
They released that awful thing called myxamatosis
Those rabbits died in agony, swollen eyes that could not see
And the bloody grass grew green, green as it could be
But I still feel for the rabbits who died in so much pain
There must have been another way, hope we don't see that again.
Author notes
In the late 30's early 40's Australia had a plague of wild rabbits. So much so that farm production was minimal and young trees and any new growth was eaten by the hordes of hungry rabbits. Myxamatosis was introduced and decimated the rabbit population almost to extinction in some areas. Being a mosquito transmitted disease Myxamatosis was not entirely successful and wild rabbits are still around to this day. In todays more enlighened world such a cruel disease would not be allowed to be released.
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Great bit of historical writing Bob. Thank you for sharing with us.
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Only us old bushies would remember the absolute devastation caused by the rabbit plague. No one wants to remember what myxamatosis did to the rabbits. Drastic measures were necessary. many thanks for commenting John, I appreciate every comment received.
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So true too Bob... seems in our haste to maximise profits, we dont care how we impact animals and our environment...
sad write on the reality of mans humanity.
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many thanks for your comments my friend, I do appreciate them. sadly Rob, the Govt of the day had to do something drastic. We got 11000 rabbits on a Saturday afternoon, that was only part of one farm, about 500 acres of it. When you consider how many rabbits there were all over the state eating everything edible, even to the bark on trees at times, something had to be done. The myzamatosis was not trialled properly and many mistakes were made, but it removed the vast majority of rabbits from the wheatbelt and food growing areas so that farming could be productive again. A sad, but very necessary step
in keeping productivity as high as possible in the years after the second world war.
The introduction of that disease also took away from me, and many others, a way of making good pocket money. I used to trap enough rabbits on a Saturday night to sell to the freezing works, to make about 3 pounds a week. Wages were about that at the time for 44 hours of hard yakka. having said that I would protest loudly if any such miserable disease was to be introduced again.
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Very sad this piece because of something man released to control the rabbits. I was told about this and even today, the very thought of the horrible deaths they poor animals went through is something. Your poem was well written but very very hard for me to read because i can very much feel for them and it makes me cry. Man should learn to control his own before he tries to control others.
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It was indeed a sad time and those poor rabbits did suffer terribly. On the practical side of it all the Govt had to do something as there were so many rabbits around that anything that sent out new shoots was eaten crops, trees, veges, weeds, everything. As far as you could see there was not a blade of grass. i appreciate your reading and commenting and apologise for causing you grief.
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Well penned !
A very informative write Bob
Myxamatosis certainly is a horrible way for the rabbits to die 
Even though they are a pest, surely they don't deserve to die in such a cruel way.
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Hi Julie; Happy New Year! Appreciate your commenting on this one. i was just an adventurous kid at the time but remember well the suffering of all those bunnies.
Apart from that the myxo took away my weekend money earners.
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