Aussie dog owners' last hurrah as council 'redefines' beach rule
The change in law was approved banning dogs from large parts of the local beach area.
A group of disappointed dog owners have taken to their local beach to have one last meet-up before an approved local amendment kicks dogs out for good, in a move aimed to preserve the environment for the long term.
Sunshine Coast Council has come under fire from the group for voting to approve an amendment to a local law on December 14 which means dogs will be banned, or required to be on leash, in most of the areas around Point Cartwright.
This comes after they received 1720 submissions during community consultation throughout September and October, of which 73 per cent disagreed with the changes.
"With a massive heavy heart, today was our last golden retriever meet-up (legally or for a while) at Point Cartwright," one sad local shared on their Golden Retriever Facebook group on Sunday. "It has been a special place in my week for close to 3 years. Thanks for the good times and memories Sunny Coast retrievers and friends".
The Sunshine Coast Council told Yahoo News Australia they took into consideration "all relevant information" — including the feedback from the community — and a revised amendment was supported to allow a section of Carties Beach to remain a timed dog off-leash area temporarily, but only between Monday and Friday.
"This arrangement seeks to strike a balance between reasonable community expectations, environmental preservation and long-term sustainability," a spokesperson said. Until December 22, dogs have been allowed off the lead between the hours of 4pm and 8am around the rocky foreshore of Point Cartwright.
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Once a spot for community's dogs and dog lovers
Point Cartwright is a stunning spot where beaches meet the Mooloolah River, and is the host of a weekly Golden Retriever meet-up for Sunshine Coast dogs and friends. After years of joy, the community have shared how "sad" they are to lose their weekly dose of sunshine.
"Terribly sad, I absolutely loved that part of my week," one person said. "Going to really miss this, travel every Friday morning from Caloundra to do that walk, so sad," another shared.
Ban comes after months of battle
In September, during the initial vote to ban dogs, the La Balsa Bow Wows — a group for those who love walking around Point Cartwright — vowed to fight to stop it. "It's just beggars belief that they would do something like this," one La Balsa dog walker told A Current Affair at the time.
These passionate Point Cartwright walkers have once again taken to the streets to show their disapproval, sharing online that they would meet at 3pm on Monday at North Beach to speak to local media.
Do you have a story about your council? Contact reporter Laura Koefoed at laura.koefoed@yahooinc.com
Dogs posing major 'environmental threat'
The amendment is in response to an environmental threat posed by the animals, with one local councillor claiming the dogs' impact on the sandy strip "could not be ignored".
Councillor Joe Natoli said the reserve was a "vital stopover" for endangered migratory shorebirds, and dogs are standing in the way of their natural journey, according to the ABC.
"The easy decision for us is to do nothing, but that's not what we were elected to do," Mr Natoli said.
"I want to leave a legacy for our children in the next 50 years so that they can go there and enjoy what we enjoy today. I want to give the shorebirds a chance of survival."
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