Dogs Policy Updates
What is the latest update?
At the Council Meeting on Tuesday 3 December 2024, Council updated the dog controls on a number of areas across the peninsula following extensive community consultation. The changes are summarised below and are available on our interactive dog control map. For full details, please see the Government Gazette G50 12 December 2024(PDF, 519KB).
These new controls come into effect on Thursday 12 December 2024.
Shire Officers are working to upgrade the signage in the affected areas as quickly as possible.
What areas do these changes affect?
Blairgowrie: the dog prohibited areas at MacFarlan Avenue Bushland Reserve (45 MacFarlan Avenue) and Ocean Road Bushland Reserve (10-12 Ocean Road) have been removed and dogs can now be walked within both reserves on leash. Dimmicks Bushland Reserve (58 Carslake Avenue) and Jack Ritchie Track Bushland Reserve (51 Dana Avenue) are now dog prohibited at all times.
Cape Schanck: Long Point Reserve (105 Long Point Road) is now dog prohibited at all times.
Crib Point: the sports oval at the Cyril Fox Recreation Reserve (55 Governors Road) now allows dogs on leash. Dogs are still prohibited from entering the bushland at the rear of the reserve.
Flinders: the leash-free area at BA Cairns Reserve (26 Barker Street) in the north of the reserve will be decommissioned and the leash-free area moved to the adjacent sports oval when it is not being used for organised sports matches.
Mount Eliza: dogs are now allowed on leash within Earimil Bluffs Reserve (1424 Nepean Highway), Mountain View Road Reserve (Mountain View Road) and Mather Road Bushland Reserve (107 Mather Road).
Mount Martha: dogs are now allowed on leash within Osborne Park Reserve at 1 Taylor Crescent, and on leash at all times within the southern section of Dunns Road Reserve (137 Dunns Road). This southern area was previously dog prohibited during school times.
Portsea: dogs are now allowed on leash within Wattle Grove Bushland Reserve (35-39 Wattle Grove) and Yerlata Court Bushland Reserve (16A Seabird Way).
Rosebud: the leash-free area at the rear of the Shire Offices (90 Besgrove Street) has been decommissioned.
Rye: dogs are now allowed on leash within Marianne Avenue Bushland Reserve (19 Marianne Avenue).
Somers: the area of the Somers foreshore between the intersections of Western Park Road and South Sea Road (the stairs at the access point known as the 30 Steps) and between Miramar Road and Belvedere Road (the stairs at the access point known as the 100 Steps) is now leash-free 24/7. This area now joins up to the existing leash-free area and removes the daylight savings restrictions.
Tuerong: dogs are now allowed leash-free on the sports oval at RM Hooper Reserve (111 Graydens Road) when it's not being used for sports matches. The bushland at the rear of the reserve remains dog prohibited.
Previous updates
2024
29 July - 26 August 2024: Shire Officers sought community feedback on seven specific sites and all things dog-related throughout the Shire.
25 June 2024: after being in place for 12 months, the Dogs in Public Places Policy was brought back before Council at its meeting on 25 June 2024. Council reviewed the implementation timetable, made a number of adjustments and adopted the Policy for the full four-year period.
14 June 2024: The Shire's interactive dog controls map went live on our website to make it easy for residents and visitors to see what controls apply to their local parks and foreshores.
2023
31 October 2023: at the Council Meeting on Tuesday 31 October 2023, Council updated the dog controls on Shire-managed foreshores. The change moved from daylight savings controls which prohibited dogs on the foreshores between 9am and 7pm between October and April, to summertime controls which prohibits dogs between 10am and 6pm from 1 December to the end of February. This change makes our foreshores accessible for a longer period of time for dogs and their owners.
16 May 2023: Council adopted the Dogs in Public Places Policy. A review of the implementation was scheduled for 12 months' time.
2022
20 October - 1 December 2022: the draft Policy was released for public comment.
18 October 2022: the draft Policy was presented to Council and approved to be released for public comment.
24 March 2022: workshops were held with Councillors to discuss their concerns and gain their input on the draft Policy.
2021
29 November 2021: workshops were held with Councillors to gain their input into the development of the draft Dogs in Public Places Policy.
May 2021: a 'Have Your Say' online survey was conducted which included questions relating to the development of the Dogs in Public Places Policy and an invitation to provide input into the development of the Policy.