Community backlash at proposed Corrigans Beach camel rides
Batemans Bay residents are barking mad over the prospect that their beloved dog beach may go the full Dubai if it is taken over by camel ride operators, with some saying hounds and humps don’t mix.
Batemans Bay residents are barking mad over the prospect that their beloved dog beach may go the full Dubai if it is taken over by camel ride operators, with some saying hounds and humps don’t mix.
The backlash follows a proposal from Bushland Farm Camels seeking a license from Eurobodalla Council to run camel tours at Corrigans Beach Reserve — one of the area’s few dog-friendly beaches where pooch owners flock to daily en masse.
Locals worry the plan would effectively push out dog owners, who fear how their pets might react around camels.
Resident Jon Fox said he was “disgusted” by the proposal.
“I take my two golden retrievers to Corrigans Beach for an off-leash walk and swim almost every day and have been doing so for three years,” he said.
“I can see real problems with the interaction of camels and off leash dogs.”
Mr Fox, who uses a mobility scooter, said that only heightened the risk.
“Having to share my beach with big animals such as camels is only going to expose us to the foreseeable risk of physical injury,” he said.
“Being trampled by camels, having to deal with their droppings and having such large animals scaring my dogs is not the type of improvement I wish to see.”
Resident Crystal Atkins said she feared “useless dog owners” would let their pets roam and potentially attack a camel.
“It’s going to be a sad situation for the camels and decent pet owners trying to do the right thing,” she said.
The proposal, now on public exhibition, states Bushland Farm Camels would be licensed for five years, running tours of seven camels from the entrance near Corrigans Oval down the sand to the rockwall and back.
Co-owner Kylie Finn said they wanted to bring their camel experience to the coast.
“We really just want to give people that experience of riding a camel on the beach,” she said.
“It’s an experience that kids will remember for the rest of the lives.”
The camel-ride proposal is open for public comment until December 22.
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Originally published as Community backlash at proposed Corrigans Beach camel rides
