Sunshine Coast Council votes for dog ban at Point Cartwright

Dog owners have been told to accept a “compromise” as councillors vote in favour of eventually banning canines from a popular beach. Here is how it will work.

Sunshine Coast Council has voted in favour of a dog ban on weekends and a total ban from 2025 at Point Cartwright. Picture: Tegan Annett

Councillors have voted to have dogs banned from a popular Sunshine Coast beach on weekends, with one councillor saying the beach has been “taken over by dogs” and they needed to “compromise”.

Dogs have been banned from accessing a popular Point Cartwright beach on weekends effective immediately, before a total ban is enforced in 2025, despite strong opposition.

Sunshine Coast Council voted on a local law amendment relating to dog access within Point Cartwright Reserve and La Balsa Park area at its Ordinary Meeting on Thursday, December 14.

Dogs dog playing at the beach and in the water at Point Cartwright Photo: Brett Wortman / Sunshine Coast Daily

Previously, dogs could be off-leash near La Balsa Park and at the northern beach area, commonly known as Carties Beach between 4pm-8am and on-leash at all other times every day.

However, the new local law, which came about after council endorsed the Point Cartwright Reserve and La Balsa Park Master Plan in August, consists of a temporary arrangement allowing off-leash access between 4pm-8am and on-leash at all other times from Monday to Friday, with access prohibited on weekends.

The temporary arrangement is proposed to be in place until June 30, 2025, before a total ban is enforced from July 1, 2025.

Despite public opposition and 72 per cent of submissions being against the proposal, the majority of councillors supported the amendment.

Dogs dog playing at the beach and in the water at Point Cartwright Photo: Brett Wortman / Sunshine Coast Daily

Mayor Mark Jamieson, deputy mayor Rick Baberowski and councillors Terry Landsberg, Joe Natoli, Winston Johnston, Maria Suarez and David Law voted in favour of the change.

Councillors Peter Cox, Christian Dickson, Ted Hungerford and Jason O’Pray voted against it.

Mr Hungerford said it couldn’t be more clear that locals were against it.

“Have we actually listened to the people?” he asked.

“I don’t think so.

“I will continue to support the community.”

In his closing statement divisional councillor Mr Natoli said it was about compromise.

Division 4 Councillor Joe Natoli at Mooloolaba. Photo: John McCutcheon / Sunshine Coast Daily

“The primary reason we’ve gone through this whole process of master planning and now recommending an amendment to some local laws was to make sure that all users can access Point Cartwright and feel safe and feel comfortable in the space,” he said.

“We have big dogs that chase and in some cases attack small dogs.

“A good friend of mine whose dog, a small dog, was chased into the water on the eastern beach and unfortunately the dog was taken out by a rip and drowned.”

Mr Natoli said it was an incredibly difficult process.

“To think if we don’t support this resolution here we lose everything that we’ve worked on for the last two years,” he said.

“What we have here is a compromise.

“We’ve been told that we weren’t listening but we are listening.”

Wave of the Day at Point Cartwright, Buddina Beach. dog TODD BELSAR/ SUNSHINE COAST DAILY

Mr Natoli said the area needed to be for everyone, not just dog owners.

In response to comments from residents who asked why people couldn’t go to other beaches where dogs weren’t allowed, Mr Natoli replied “why should they have to?”.

“We need as a council to make these decisions for everyone,” he said.

“We can either have the place absolutely taken over by dogs.

“Or we can restrict and manage that so that all users can feel comfortable.”

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Council votes for dog ban at Point Cartwright