Council clarifies dog zones for shire’s beaches

Published on 09 July 2021

A dog on the beach

The rules around dog exercise areas on the region’s stunning beaches are set to become clearer through new mapping and updated off-leash dog areas from October, following significant community consultation on the subject.

Kempsey Shire Council has been working since October with key stakeholders including animal groups and state government bodies such as the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Services, while also running an extensive community survey. Based on that consultation, Council staff made recommendations to improve and streamline the rules surrounding dogs in public spaces, including off-leash exercise areas.

At the June ordinary meeting, Council resolved to adopt new off-leash zones outlined for Hat Head, South West Rocks, Grassy Head and Killick Beach at Crescent Head, basing their final decisions on clear messaging received through significant community engagement.

Kempsey Shire Council Mayor, Liz Campbell, recognised the passion in the community feedback and said the outcome is a reasonable balance for dog walkers and beachgoers across the shire.

“Clarity on the rules for dog walking on our beaches represents a fantastic step forward for Council in working with dog owners, while taking on board the clear messaging provided from our community on how they would like to resolve this topic,” said Cr Campbell.

New signage will be installed at Hat Head, South West Rocks, Crescent Head and Grassy Head as the new access arrangements change. New mapping for the Shire and educational material shall also be made available via Council’s website and brochures. These changes will occur through a staged process in October and November.

The roll out of changes will begin with Crescent Head, followed by South West Rocks, then Hat Head and Grassy Head. Additional new signage will be installed across the remainder of the shire through an ongoing process.

Kempsey Shire General Manager, Craig Milburn, emphasised the important responsibility pet owners have in following the rules.

“Council rangers have limited resources and unfortunately cannot be on the beach all day every day enforcing the rules. Community education of these rules will form part of the rollout of the dog exercise areas,” said Mr Milburn.

“Council will also run an awareness campaign for both dog owners and beach users, to help everyone better understand the changes that have taken place and the rules around having a dog in a public space.”

Additional facilities to protect the environment and to assist in keeping these areas clean will be considered as part of the signage project.

A review of the new dog walking areas will be conducted mid-2022 to assess the outcome of the new rules. Council will also continue to work with key stakeholders to further develop facilities for dog walkers.

While Council does not regulate dog access in large parts of the Shire’s Crown Lands, including a number of beaches, Council agreed to continue to advocate for the extension of off-leash areas in Crescent Head and lobby for potential changes to plans of management of park areas by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Services. The advocacy will aim to allow or enhance access for dog owners to Back Beach and via Richardsons Crossing.