Shoalhaven Council: dogs on holiday brochure includes image of pet on banned beach

A tourism brochure promoting the south coast as a pet friendly destination, promotes a photo of a dog on Narrawallee Inlet, a location the council itself has banned pets from.

It’s one of the most picturesque swimming spots in the southern Shoalhaven, and dogs are banned from going near it because of a shore bird population nearby.

Shoalhaven City Council, the same authority who banned dogs from Narrawallee Inlet and Beach, has now promoted dogs on the inlet in a Pets on Holiday brochure.

Peter Murray, who owns a house near the popular beach, said council was promoting noncompliance in the nature conservation area.

The original photo of the dog at Narrawallee Inlet- where dogs are banned. Picture: supplied

“The bird nesting area is in the background of the photo. This year’s nesting season is about to commence, and hooded plovers and pied oyster catchers have been successfully breeding at this site for many years,” he said.

Distributed throughout the region to visitor centres and holiday accommodation providers, the booklet shows a picture of a dog on a SUP, with warning signs about the shore bird nesting area clearly shown in the background.

A council spokesman said staff assumed the image was taken in a compliant location when selecting it for the tourism brochure.

“At the time of printing council’s ‘Pets on Holidays’ brochure, staff were under the assumption that the image was taken in a compliant location,” the staff member said.

“Council staff investigated the matter following expert local knowledge which identified the location of the image as being at Narrawallee Inlet.”

In correspondence between the council and a ratepayer, seen by the South Coast News, council said the tourism team “send their sincere apologies for using an image in our collateral that is claimed to be in Narrawallee Inlet’”.

However, they stopped short of assuring the booklet would be removed from distribution.

“Since this matter was brought to council’s attention, staff have excluded these images from any other promotions and will continue to only work with local photographers in locations that are appropriate,” a council spokesman told the News.

Mr Murray said there was just one pair of hooded plovers left at the Narawallee breeding site, and they needed protection.

“The council is oblivious to the effects of its policies on our wonderful natural environment. They are more interested in promoting the local government area as a place to bring your dogs on holiday,” he said.

The original page in the booklet has been replaced with this imagery. Picture: supplied

However, a council spokesman said they “actively promote” the protection of shorebirds and responsible pet ownership.

When asked how much the brochure cost, the council said they used an “in-house graphic designer” and followed “standard procurement process for production”, but did not give printing costs or fees paid to photographers for using their images.

Since questions by the News were sent to the council, a new digital version of the brochure has been uploaded online, to replace the non-compliant image.

The issue is a hot topic in the region at the moment, with council compiling community feedback on a new dog off leash plan.

In the meantime, Mr Murray said the council needed to update its signage and prohibited areas list to include the whole of Narrawallee Inlet as a dog prohibited area.

He’s not against dogs being allowed to exercise on beaches with their owners, but said it needs to be done in-line with the environmental planning and assessment act, and companion animals act.

“Clearly at present they do not,” Mr Murray said.

“(More signage) would stop the majority of people who run their dogs off leash on the sand spit at low tide, and swim their dogs over to the bird nesting area and national park. This needs to happen in the next month before the breeding season.

“The last few years has seen a dramatic increase in dogs in the area and non compliance with the existing rules. I believe my kids, my elderly parents and the environment have the right to walk on Narrawallee Beach or Inlet at any time and not be chased, jumped on, threatened or attacked by dogs.”