Just before W.W.1 my father was at Toora to build the head-teacher's residence. On his day off he went rabbitshooting, but saw none. Local people said there were none. Some years later when there he was told they came from the Traralgon direction. About 20 years ago an old man told me that there were once no sand flies in that area. He said they only came after the paddy melons disappeared. His theory was that the paddy melons burrowed under the tussocks where the sand flies had their nests. So I suppose a remedy for sandflies is to introduce the paddy melon. Are there any left? Lona