DOG WALKING

SIX years ago, my doctor told me to start walking for exercise, as I had gained weight and my cholesterol was raised a bit.

But after some depression, exercising by yourself seemed a little futile as you don’t have the self worth or patience.

So to get around that, he advised me to get a dog to have a reason to walk.

Like thousands of others in Toowoomba, I got a dog to help my health. To my surprise the vet said the border collie I bought needed a five kilometre walk, every day.

I only get around to walking two or three times a week, so I haven’t lost weight, but at least it stopped me gaining too much. I’m on a drug for my cholesterol and I have found a loyal friend.

There are only so many times you can walk around the block, so I try to vary our walks. We sometimes walk along West Creek, Black Gully, up Mt Kingsthorpe or Mt Peel, to Highfields Falls and along Sunshine Coast beaches.

I first visited Mt Peel at least 14 years ago when the sign showed it was a bicentennial gift from the State Government.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Mt Peel, eager to see if the council had put in any more tracks.

I was absolutely flabbergasted to see a sign with a picture of a dog on a lead and a red cross through it. I cannot see how a dog on a lead is going to harm the environment.

On the other hand, the council has a terrible record with native wildlife, with the lack of corridors etc.

If they want to encourage animals and birds at Mt Peel, they should have a water supply there, because, as in most of our parks, the water has been cut off and animals have to cross busy roads and fences to get to a creek.

When talking to a bloke from Friends of the Escarpment, he thought the flying fox colony from Kearney Springs didn’t stay in Redwood Park because the only pond of water in Gatton Creek had been drained.

Also, as there are no houses on top of Mt Peel, the council shouldn’t have to burn off, killing many small animals and destroying their habitat.

A DPI study I was told about, said that, after dry bushland was cool burned, it takes the environment at least seven years to recover.

Any sooner and it has an irreversible effect on the ecosystem.

I will really miss going up the historically named Mt Peel, as there is a great view from the south peak of what was originally named Peels Plains with Cambooya, Wyreema, Westbrook, Mt Rubieslaw, Bunkers Hill, Westbrook Sugarloaf, Gowrie Mountain and you can even see Wellcamp Airport.

I feel people who like the beauty and solitude of the bush and follow their doctor’s advice to walk their dog on a lead for physical and mental health are being discriminated against.

J. DAVIDSON, Toowoomba