Clarence dog policy needs challenging on many fronts. Defending Anzac Park will be one of the battles.
Dog owners must not accept the Clarence City Council Dog Management Policy lying down and must determine how their local or favourite dog exercise areas will be impacted.
Keep your dog on-lead or take your dog to a fenced dog park...is the direction the policy is taking.
The proposal is to make most off-lead areas on-lead, beach access is at risk and the Tandara Trail is under threat.
Anti-dog people will use the dog policy review as an opportunity to push for dog bans.
The devil is in the detail. Dog owners need to read the Policy and Schedule of Declared Areas 2021-2028 as so much is at stake. If this dog policy is adopted it will be in place for five years, until the next review. The Policy and Schedule of Declared Areas can be downloaded from the Council's website
What's at risk and why it's wrong?
Here's a summary:
Beaches
Particular attention needs to be paid to the options the Council is putting forward for Bellerive and Howrah Beach.
Howrah Beach 4 options are proposed:
No dogs from 10.00am – 6.00pm from 1 Dec to 1 March at all other times dogs can be off-lead under effective control. This is the current declaration;
No dogs from 10.00am – 6.00pm from 1 Dec to 1 March at all other times dogs must be on-lead;
No summer restrictions - dogs can be off-lead under effective control at all times; and
No summer restrictions - dogs to be on-lead at all times.
Bellerive Beach: 3 options are proposed:
From First Bluff to Beach Street – no dogs at any time. From Beach Street to Second Bluff – No dogs from 10.00am – 6.00pm from 1 Dec to 1 March at all other times dogs can be off-lead under effective control. This is the current declaration;
From First Bluff to Beach Street – no dogs at any time. From Beach Street to Second Bluff – No dogs 1 Dec to 1 March at all other times dogs must be on-lead;
The entirety of Bellerive Beach becomes prohibited to dogs at all times.
Every time the Clarence City Council has reviewed its dog management policy, Bellerive Beach is targeted for a dog ban and lost space for dog exercise in the policy reviews of 2008 and 2014.
Option 3 must be opposed as "The entirety of Bellerive Beach becomes
Option 2 would change Bellerive Beach from off-lead, to an on-lead exercise area.
For Howrah and Bellerive Beach, the Council has written under the options that their "draft position on Howrah and Bellerive Beach has not been determined at this stage and may change in the final adopted draft Schedule of Declared Areas". Roches Beach, is at risk of losing the section from Canal south to May Point as this, to quote the Clarence City Council, they will "provide a dog free alternative in an area popular with families".
Anzac Park, Lindisfarne, loses off-lead status
Anzac Park is proposed to become on-lead. The Council proposes making the popular lawn area near the war memorial on-lead only. To compensate, Council has suggested building a fenced dog park on the sloping section of Anzac Park near Natone Street. Not a great idea for a park popular with older dog walkers using mobility aids. Why this is a bad idea?
Anzac Park is the only off-lead dog exercise in Lindisfarne after Simmons Park, at Lindisfarne, was made on-lead in 2014.
Natone Hill (between Lindisfarne and Geilston Bay)
Becomes on-lead like any other area with bushland. Again, Lindisfarne loses an off-lead area.
Bedlam Walls, Geilston Bay Bedlam Walls, like other nature reserves, becomes on-lead. This is Geilston Bay's only off-lead area and is wide open grassland before reaching a bush area going to Shag Bay.
Note: there's a long list of other areas proposed to become on-lead.
Tangara Trail
It is proposed the extensive Tangara Trail becomes on-lead like all other shared use tracks. The Tangara Trail is an extensive bridal path network extending from Acton to South Arm. The trail is very wide. If this changes horse riders and cyclists won't be able to have dogs accompany them on rides, and dog walkers will lose a major trail. This would be a shame as the Tandara Trail is like a British Bridalway or Right of Way.
Is there anything worth supporting in the policy?
You could thank the Council for:
considering making the Rosny Golf Course on-lead.
developing a fenced park at Cambridge
If you own a greyhound, the Council is considering a greyhound area exercise in Charles Hand Reserve, Rosny; or the park at Montagu Bay
What to do
Become familiar with the Clarence City Council Dog Management Policy and tell others about it. Communicate with the Hobart Dog Walking Association Inc
Join the Hobart Dog Walking Association Inc
We've been advocating for dog walkers since 2006 and made a difference.
Help circulate information The HDWA will need help to raise awareness among other dog walkers.
Spread the word
Direct people to the News section on our website www.dogwalkingtas.org.au
Direct people to our Facebook Hobart Dog Walking Club or the Tasmanian Dog Walking Clubs Facebook
Monitor the Your Say on Clarence City Council website where people are sharing their stories. Provide your own feedback to the Council - the more support the better. Anti-dog people will use this opportunity to try and get dogs banned from areas. The closing date for feedback to the Clarence City Council is 4 May 2021.
Surveys - Clarence Dog Management
You may download the survey as a PDF and word document below:
Find out more about the Clarence City Council dog management review
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