Protect Our Beaches
say “no” to off leash dogs

We need your help

The Northern Beaches Council is considering allowing dogs to roam off leash on the Pittwater side of Palm Beach, at Station Beach.

Off leash dogs will increase ocean pollution and threaten bird and marine life at this pristine and vulnerable site.

The Council’s solution to managing the environmental damage is to impose over 30 complex and costly mitigation measures. They are unworkable and reinforce that Station Beach is a completely unsuitable location for this trial.

Show the Council the community doesn’t support this before they vote on the trial on 23 July.

 

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Why we are saying “No” to off leash
dogs at Palm Beach

The Environment

Station Beach is a narrow tidal beach with a protected and endangered seagrass meadow running close to the shoreline with easy access for off-leash dogs.

Allowing off leash dogs on Station Beach will increase pollution from dog waste, and threaten wildlife and marine life, including at low tide, when seagrass beds are exposed.

The Council’s own Review of Environmental Factors (REF) report acknowledges the environmental risk and the NSW Department of Industry prefers an alternative site.

Visual Impact

The proposed trial will require the installation of unsightly offshore boundary markers to define the dogs swimming area.

The proposed boundary markers are 2.5 metres tall, and up to 7 will be installed across the 600m off leash dog area.

These permanent and unsightly measures will visually deface this beautiful stretch of shoreline, and are unlikely to fulfil their purpose to prevent dogs from trampling endangered seagrass at low tide.

Traffic and congestion issues

Palm Beach has extremely limited parking, and is already struggling to meet demand, particularly for visitors. There is one single lane road in and one single lane road out of the peninsula, so the roads get clogged, quickly.

Allowing an off leash dog area on Station Beach is likely to result in thousands of additional visitors, coming from as far south as Manly and beyond.

These additional visitors will dramatically increase traffic congestion and exacerbate existing parking issues.

Illustration of Visual Impact

Northern Beaches Council has proposed unsightly permanent offshore boundary markers to define the permitted dog swimming area. This will permanently deface Station Beach

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Map of Proposed Trial Area