Our beaches and grassed foreshore areas are places for everyone to access and enjoy, whether you are a dog owner or not. In December 2022, Council endorsed a community engagement plan which outlined the approach on how we will engage with the community to develop options for dog on-leash and off-leash rules in these areas.

As part of our engagement plan, the Dogs on Beaches Community Working Group was formed. Through four workshops with an independent facilitator and a community-wide process seeking feedback on proposed options, the working group decided on their preferences for future rules for dogs on our grassed foreshore reserves and beaches to be presented to Council.

The Working Group’s preference for the North Haven Beach is:

• Option 1: to retain the current, daylight savings rules

The Working Group’s preference for Grassed Foreshore Reserves is:

• Option 2: defined on-leash areas at all times

The Working Group’s preference for Semaphore South to Breakwater beaches is:

• Option 3: on-leash around jetties (all times) and off-leash north area

OR

• Option 3 (variation): on-leash around jetties (all times during daylight savings only) and off-leash north area (Council to consider whether the on-leash areas apply at all times or during daylight savings only).

A report is being presented to Council at the 13 February Ordinary Council Meeting. You can view the Ordinary Council Meeting Agenda online under the Document Library.

Thank you for sharing your feedback. You can find out more about what we heard from our community and the project next steps, by following the link below.