We hold the view that dogs on-leash are likely to have just as significant impact on sediment / seagrass habitats that are immediately adjacent to Station Beach as dogs that are off-leash. In these shallow depths, the probability of disturbance to the seagrass ecosystem is high and we believe that dogs, whether on-leash or off-leash will impact, disturb and damage these unique meadows.
Significantly, while Council has introduced on-leash dog activity on Station Beach from 1 January 2020, based on the approved resolution to support off-leash dogs in August 2019, it has done so without applying the REF’s proposed mitigation measures. In practice, we have observed throughout 2020 at Station Beach, most dogs are being allowed off-leash onto Station Beach in breach of permitted times and without the protection of mitigation measures proposed in the REF.