‘We can’t get fairer’: Council adopts new dog laws

Dogs will be allowed at more of the region’s beaches, but there will be new restrictions at Millennium Esplanade.

6 month old working dog Frank gets a morning workout at Stumers Creek, north of Coolum. Photo Lachie Millard

GLADSTONE Regional Council has voted to allow dogs on more of the region's beaches, but there will be new restrictions placed on the animals at Millennium Esplanade at Tannum Sands.

The council voted in this week's general meeting to adopt changes to local laws regarding animal management.

Dogs will be excluded from Millennium Esplanade Parklands at Tannum Sands, except on the roadway. This exclusion includes the formed footpaths through the area.

On-leash dogs are now allowed at Barney Point Park, Prince Regent Esplanade and Friend Park, Barney Point. They were previously prohibited areas for dogs.

Springs Beach and the beach south through to the northern boundary of the Deepwater National Park at Agnes Water will be prohibited to dogs during turtle nesting season and will remain an on-leash area for the remainder of the year.

Chinamans Beach at Agnes Water will remain a prohibited area for dogs during turtle nesting season but will be designated off-leash for the remainder of the year.

Mayor Matt Burnett said he believed the changes were fair.

"There are plenty of options and dogs can go to beaches, depending on what particular beach and what section it is," he said.

"Where the most people are, the main beaches, there are no dogs.

"Where there are less people there is an opportunity to have your dog on the beach on a leash.

"When you're a bit further away from patrolled beaches you can have your dog off the leash, just not in turtle nesting season, I don't know if we can get it fairer than that."

Caravan park operators are also now permitted to determine how many cats and dogs they will allow within the confines of their park.

Council can still manage enclosure and nuisance complaints and set limits on the number of animals to be kept onsite. During the consultation period the online survey results found many respondents supported all the proposed changes, except for excluding dogs from Millennium Esplanade Parklands, Tannum Sands.