Future of dog beaches under cloud
THE Tweed Shire Council is considering scrapping offleash beach zones for dog owners to better protect the shire’s wildlife.
Councillors say “hundreds of metres” of beach space could be lost to “bring the birds back from the brink of destruction”. Other councillors say they want to relocate the off-leash areas.
The council is consulting community groups about the shire’s 14 off-leash areas and hopes to release a draft plan in the new year.
On Monday, a number of wildlife groups briefed councillors, asking them to consider reducing the number off-leash areas.
“If we want to bring birds back from brink of distinction, we need to limit these spaces,” Cr Pryce Allsop said.
“The council has had serious advice from people about endangered species. We need to protect the wildlife in every situation.”
The endangered birds in question are the Australian pied oystercatcher, the little tern, the sooty oystercatcher, the red-capped plover and the beach stone-curlew.
Cr Warren Polglase said an earlier draft plan cut “hundreds” of metres of offleash beaches at Kingscliff Beach, Kingscliff Creek, Fingal and Casuarina.
However, Deputy Mayor Chris Cherry said there may not be a reduction.
“The talk isn’t too much about reducing, but relocating,” she said.
“We are looking to change some of the locations.”
Cr Polglase said the issue was not just with dogs.
“What we are seeing is the dogs are chasing birds, but there is no mention of the cats,” he said.
“There are wild cats everywhere – and dogs are taking the blame for them.”
Petsitter and dog walker Kassie Palmer, 39, said she walked about six dogs at a time in the Tweed area and a reduction in off-leash areas would damage her business.
“It just adds to the crowding problems at off-leash beaches on the Gold Coast,” she said.
“It’ll just be more dogfriendly places that we’ve lost, which is really disheartening.”
Cr Ron Cooper said the council needed to realise how much the Tweed was growing. “We have more people coming to the area and more dogs,” he said.
“The council has to recognise dogs are a critical part of many peoples lives.”
“We have to accept we have a growing area and we can’t reduce areas.
“Moving the off-leash areas may be the answer.
Councillors are also asking for better signs as well as better policing with more rangers to hand out fines for people who do not follow the rules.
Under the NSW Champion Animals Act 1998, the council is required to have at least one public space deemed an off-leash area for dogs.
Mayor Katie Milne
Did not return Bulletin requests for comment.
However, she told the Bulletin in August that she thought the problems with off-leash dogs were from “people coming from outside our area” as “there are not that many off-leash areas on the Gold Coast”.
Cr Reece Byrnes
Did not return Bulletin requests for comment.