Sunshine Coast Council just miserable on support for dog lovers

Not all dogs are created equal in Queensland. One particular council seems to have it in for dogs and dog lovers, writes Mark Furler. What do you think? VOTE IN OUR POLL

Dogs at play at Pt Cartwright beach in better times before the council introduced restrictions and bans.

Not all dogs are created equal in Queensland.

If you live on the Sunshine Coast and own a dog, the right to walk it on a beach is increasingly under threat as council officers give greater priority to saving fly in fly out birds from around the globe than our four legged friends.

Days before Christmas last year, a miserable majority on the local council ignored the submissions of the majority to bring in bans on one of the most popular beaches at Pt Cartwight.

It has turned what was a popular spot for dog walkers to an often deserted pathway to save what I observed was a handful of birds at best enjoying the rocks about two hundred metres from where most of the dogs went. It also had big impacts on the disabled and elderly.

A beach near the river, where dogs and owners enjoyed a swim, is now off limits unless your dog is on a leash while there is a total weekend ban for another popular beach.

The North Shore Dog Beach at Mudjimba could be the next under threat by the Sunshine Coast Council.

Not satisfied with the heartache inflicted on elderly dog walkers, the council is at it again, looking at further restrictions on those daring to walk their dogs near Mudjimba.

The Draft Shorebird Conservation Plan 2025-2030 details the council’s plan to enforce a number of regulations to the “high tide roost sites” for endangered shorebirds in the region over the next five years.

The North Shore Dog Beach at Mudjimba is among the few off leash dog beaches on the Sunshine Coast.

That’s council speak for we plan to screw dog owners over yet again.

To put it into perspective, dog owners on the Sunshine Coast are already treated like unwanted animals.

 According to a report tabled by the Gold Coast City Council in October, the Sunshine Coast has one off-leash enclosures every per 1222 dogs, compared to one to per 444 on the Gold Coast and one to 700 in Brisbane.

Maroochy North Shore beach changes being flagged by the council have a whole lot of dog lovers worried about how far the changes may go.

The Gold Coast has 154 dog off-leash facilities within its local government area and last month the city council was considering more.

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates even urged officers to look at “shortening the process in the future” so reviews were not limited to once a year.

Sunshine Coast mayor Rosanna Natoli, whose husband Joe led the charge against dogs at Pt Cartwright, promised a review of off-leash facilities for dog lovers on the Coast.

But we’ve so far heard very little.

Cr Joe Natoli was targeted by dog lovers at the last election after his vocal support of controversial beach bans at Pt Cartwright. Photo: Contributed

As someone who appreciates wildlife, I understand the need to protect the birds near the North Shore Dog Beach. There are certainly a lot more of them than those at Pt Cartwright.

But they are located well away from where most people walk their dogs.

The oceanfront beach area should remain open to people walking their dogs. Full stop.

The North Shore Dog Beach at Mudjimba is a great place for dogs (and people) to stretch their legs.

Many would agree with protecting the birds on the dunes so restrictions around that area at certain times may be reasonable.

But given the numbers above, this council should be looking to increase the opportunity for people to enjoy their dogs, including new off the leash beach areas and enclosed areas.

Last time I checked, the council’s vision is to be Australia’s most sustainable region: Healthy. Smart. Creative.

Introducing more blanket bans on dogs on beaches is just dumb and lazy.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Council just miserable on support for dog lovers