Signage allowing on-leash dog activity at Station Beach has been replaced by ‘Dogs Prohibited’ signs following the recent Northern Beaches Council defeat in the NSW Land and Environment Court.
Last month, the Court declared the Council’s decisions of 27 August 2019 and 17 December 2019, which purported to authorise an off-leash dog trial for 12 months on Station Beach and, by the December decision, purported to permit dogs on-leash on Station Beach, invalid and has quashed those decisions.
The Palm Beach Protection Group is pleased with this development, especially given the sensitivity of Station Beach and its concern regarding the environmental impact to the beach’s seagrass meadows. Station Beach is home to the largest seagrass community in the Pittwater estuary, which includes the threatened Posidonia australis seagrass population that nurtures a diverse habitat of marine life, including the threatened White’s seahorse.
It is understood that Northern Beaches Council is completing a review of the Court judgement and its implications. It remains our desire that Council will end its ill-considered targeting of Station Beach. We ask Council to validate the expert advice that is recorded in the judgement about the environmental sensitivity of Station Beach by affirming the best mitigation measure is to not allow dogs on Station Beach and cease pursuit of this area.