Onkaparinga Council reviewing dog restrictions at beaches, wetlands and reserves

Dogs would be banned from a popular Adelaide beach - but allowed on another - under wideranging changes to rules from one council.

Dogs would be banned from much of Port Noarlunga Beach – but allowed on Christies Beach at all times during daylight savings – under a proposal from Onkaparinga Council to tighten dog restrictions.

It’s proposed changes to dog and leash rules that tighten some and loosen others at 15 beaches, wetlands and reserves to protect other dogs, families, sand dunes and native flora and fauna.

Dogs on leashes would be allowed to return to Christies Beach Open Markets, and restricted from wandering free through walking trails in Minkarra Park South.

This proposed change aims to prohibit dogs at Port Noarlunga Beach at all times during daylight savings.

A council spokesperson said dogs would be banned at all times from a large section of Port Noarlunga beach during daylight saving, over safety fears.

Current rules prohibit them between 10am to 8pm - and from the jetty completely.

“A uniform approach was the norm along metropolitan beaches with dogs required to be on-leash between 10am-8pm during daylight savings. However, council has established off-leash exercise areas on many parts of our coastline as well as introducing the state’s first dog prohibited beach at Port Noarlunga.”

Dogs would be allowed on nearby Christies Beach at all times on a leash from the sailing club to just after Short St.

Council wants to allow dogs on leashes at all times during daylight savings along Christies Beach.

Other areas would remain the same, but council would seek to have dogs on leashes throughout the Port Noarlunga sand dune trails at all times.

Council are seeking for Minkarra Park South to have dogs on-leash along walking trails in the bushland.

Council wants to reverse a decision to ban dogs from the Christies Beach Open Markets between 8am and 2pm - but their owners would have to keep them on a leash while visiting the market.

Other areas throughout the South Port Beach Dunes would remain the same, except for the sand dunes where dogs would be kept on a leash at all times, where narrow trails and dogs off leash “create a nuisance” to others entering the dunes.

“The dunes have fragile sandy soils, are home to threatened flora and wildlife and are of high Aboriginal cultural heritage value,” the spokesperon said.

Dogs would be forced to stay leashes in six wetlands including in O’Halloran Hill, Morphett Vale and Coromandel Valley, and on five reserves in Flagstaff Hill, Morphett Vale and Coromandel Valley.

Public sonsulations is open until March 31.

Originally published as Onkaparinga Council reviewing dog restrictions at beaches, wetlands and reserves