Councillors divided as new off-leash dog area to have trial at Broadbeach

Residents have split over plans for new off-leash areas on Gold Coast beaches, with one claiming aggressive dogs defecating on the sand were creating ‘Third World’ scenes.

Demands for more off-leash areas on Gold Coast beaches have run into a wall of opposition from locals who say aggressive dogs are defecating on the sand and slaughtering wildlife.

Residents were bitterly divided in almost 1800 submissions on council’s ‘GC Have Your Say’ platform, with one warning the city’s famed beaches could come to resemble scenes from a Third World country.

However many apartment owners backed there being more off-leash areas, including at Broadbeach, where local councillor Nick Marshall had been lobbied by residents. At a planning committee meeting on Tuesday he gained majority support for a 12-week trial of a new off-leash area of beach, which would operate for four hours per day.

The proposal had received 410 submissions to the council portal – 319 were in support, eight were neutral and 83 submissions were against.

A ‘Dogs Prohibited’ sign at the south end of Station Beach, opposite Palm Beach. Picture: Dylan Robinson.

Council officers recommended against proceeding with the idea, saying there were nesting locations nearby for several endangered or vulnerable turtle species.

Southern-based councillor Gail O’Neill said she appreciated Mr Marshall was under pressure from residents, but her experience was the move would be a mistake.

“It will create a parking problem and overcrowding of the beach,” she said.

The other issue would be getting dog owners to keep to the permitted hours. “It could open up a whole can of worms,” she said.

Mr Marshall said a trial would give a proper indication of whether the off-leash beach area worked.

“I don’t want to get to a situation where everything is too hard,” he said.

At Palm Beach Parklands on the Currumbin Creek, residents were against allowing access for dogs near the Dune cafe and revoking the existing dog prohibited area.

The City received 168 submissions for that proposal, with an “almost even split” in responses.

“It is out of control and resembles scenes from a Third World country. It’s not about not liking dogs, as I have come from a farming background and have owned dogs all my life, but I feel dogs in public places is a big problem,” one resident wrote.

Residents asked council to stop dogs from using the estuary because elderly people were having to go to hospital after sustaining cuts from dogs swimming next to them.

“The water quality is poor and community is fed up (with) dog attacks on their health and giving them eye infections and gastro from dog excrement. The community is asking for you to test the water quality,” a resident told council.

Another resident provided graphic detail about how a mother swan was killed by an aggressive dog in Lionel Perry Park in Surfers Paradise.

“We have witnessed the slaying of a mother swan who had young babies (cygnets) and was attacked by a dog. We are now constantly having to race out to try and protect the remaining father swan who is still trying to look after his babies,” the resident said.

At Mermaid Beach, a resident wrote: “My dog was mauled by an offlead dog and she was nearly killed. The fines need to be posted to deter people — and undercover people need to be policing this.”

Division 12 councillor Nick Marshall with daughters Ella 12 and Imogen 10 take their Cavoodle Bowie for a paddle to promote a dog swim-run race. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

There are currently three off-leash dog exercise areas on Gold Coast beaches – at The Spit, Tallebudgera Beach and Palm Beach.

The 12-week trial at Broadbeach will see dogs allowed off-leash between lifeguard tower 26 and tower 27 from 5am to 7am and 5pm to 7pm.

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Originally published as Councillors divided as new off-leash dog area to have trial at Broadbeach