Heidi Kleinert

National Rabbit Management Coordinator

Heidi brings over 20 years of experience in the NRM industry, specialising in engagement and collaboration. She has extensive expertise in invasive species management, environmental water and project management, having worked across not-for-profit, private, local, and state government sectors.

Heidi served as the Victorian Rabbit Action Network (VRAN) Executive Officer at Agriculture Victoria from 2016 to 2023, where she led a participatory engagement process to enhance community capacity for managing rabbits across Victoria. In 2024, Heidi worked as a consultant, focusing on communications, partnership and stakeholder management. In addition to her work with CISS, Heidi is a member of Rabbit Free Australia and actively participates in the Australian Rabbit Managers Network. Her passion lies in fostering meaningful connections between people and the environment to achieve sustainable outcomes.

(From https://invasives.com.au/)

June 7, 2026

Where Are We At With Rabbits?

Rabbit populations are once again reaching plague proportions in parts of Australia, despite the release of two incredibly successful diseases over the past century. Myxomatosis and then Calicivirus killed up to 99% of Australia's rabbits when they were introduced, but the rabbits have developed resistance, and we haven't yet found a new disease. Heidi Kleinert is our guest, she's the National Rabbit Management Coordinator at the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions. *EDIT* During the interview, Ms Kleinert says rabbits underground can overcome droughts and floods. She meant to say droughts and fires. Floods tend to be a little harder to hide under. She also twice refers to K5 as an antidote to either 1080 or future poisons. K5 is actually a rabbit poison itself, she intended to say vitamin K is an antigen used for dogs.

Guest: Heidi Kleinert

Listen to the Episode