Changes are on the way for dog owners who visit a popular reserve and its surrounds.
Sunshine Coast Council on Thursday approved an amended subordinate local law that will alter the way people move with their pooches at Point Cartwright.
Dogs will be on-leash only at Half Moon Bay, Buddina Beach, La Balsa Park and open areas of Point Cartwright Reserve.
A temporary off-leash area will be incorporated for part of the northern beach commonly known as Carties Beach between 4pm and 8am from Monday to Friday. Dogs will be permitted on-leash in this area at other times on Monday to Friday, but prohibited from this area at all times on weekends.
The arrangement will be in place until June 30, 2025.
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The amendments are expected to provide council with time to prepare and consult with the community on a Sunshine Coast-wide Dog Exercise Areas Plan.
Due to the number of people visiting the area, dogs will also be prohibited from sections near the rocky foreshore, the dunes along Buddina Beach and sections of Point Cartwright Reserve.
The amendments come after council’s endorsement of the Point Cartwright Reserve and La Balsa Park Master Plan in August, which established new animal management requirements at Point Cartwright Reserve.
But many community members voiced their concerns after initial plans were released in June, and the ‘Keep Point Cartwright off leash access for dogs’ online petition has attracted more than 6000 signatures.
Sunshine Coast Council Division 4 Councillor Joe Natoli said community engagement had formed a key part of council’s local law-making process.
“We really appreciate and thank everyone in our community who took the time to provide further feedback on the animal management changes at Point Cartwright,” he said.
“Community engagement took place between September 25 and October 30, 2023, and we received 1718 submissions – this is the greatest number of submissions received by council for a local law-making consultation process since the council was established on March 15, 2008.
“After taking into consideration all relevant information to inform the local law-making process – including the Master Plan objectives, the feedback from the community, consideration of council’s different policies and undertaking a human rights assessment – a revised amendment was supported to allow a section of Carties Beach to remain a timed dog off-leash area temporarily.
“This arrangement seeks to strike a balance between reasonable community expectations, environmental preservation and long-term sustainability.”
The Subordinate Local Law Amendment will commence on gazettal, which is expected to occur on Friday, December 22, 2023.
New signage will be installed to inform the community of the changes and council officers will undertake an education program to support the community in understanding the new changes.
To review the outcomes of the community engagement, visit council’s Have Your Say page.
To view the master plan visit Point Cartwright and La Balsa Park Master Plan.
