Washhouse Beach at Dunbogan would be a dog no-go area under a proposed change to a council policy.
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Port Macquarie-Hastings Council's Draft Dogs in Public Open Spaces Policy proposes to reclassify Washhouse Beach from an off-leash dog area to a dog prohibited area.
Dogs are currently allowed off-leash at Washhouse Beach between the breakwall and Kattang Nature Reserve.
A report to the May council meeting said council and National Parks and Wildlife Service received many complaints about this section of Washhouse Beach.
The report said it was confusing for dog owners to stay within the small off-leash area in between two prohibited areas at Pilot Beach and Kattang Nature Reserve.
The proposed change would reduce sign requirements, reduce confusion and enable the National Parks and Wildlife Service to implement various management programs, the report said.
Proposed changes follow feedback from key stakeholders and survey responses.
Community members have until June 21 to comment on the draft policy.
The draft document defines where dogs are permitted and specifies conditions under which dogs are permitted in public areas.
It sets out off-leash areas, leashed areas and prohibited areas, as well as dedicated off-leash dog parks.
Dog owner Robyn Adams told the Port News that Port Macquarie had a good choice of dog off-leash areas.
She said choices were needed for different dogs as not all dogs liked the water, for example, while some owners didn't like their dogs to get wet and sandy from the beach.
There are off-leash dog parks at Port Macquarie's Stuart Park, Blackbutt Park at Wauchope and Henry Kendall Reserve, Laurieton.
The draft policy said an important component of the management of dogs in open spaces was the suitable provision of accessible off-leash dog exercise areas, balanced by appropriately identified and managed dog exclusion areas, to support the whole community and to protect the natural environment.
More information about the draft policy is available at the council's online community engagement hub.
The council will stage a pop-up session on Saturday [June 5] from 11am to 1pm at the vehicle access point end of Lighthouse Beach.
There is also an online community meeting on June 15 from 5pm to 7pm via Zoom.
The meeting will encompass the Draft Dogs in Public Open Spaces Policy and Draft Beach Driving Policy.
People can have their say through an online survey or provide a submission to the council.
The council adopted its current Dogs in Public Open Spaces Policy in 2011.
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