Dog regulations now in force along the coast

RANGERS from the Surf Coast Shire are patrolling the coast and hinterland over summer to work with dog owners and ensure they are following regulations for their four-legged friends.

Dog regulations came into force at the start of December and will apply until the end of February.

During this period, dogs are not permitted in certain areas between 9am and 7pm, including:

• Anglesea Main Beach
• Popular beach areas in Aireys Inlet and Fairhaven
• Torquay beaches including Surf Beach, Front Beach and Fisherman’s Beach
• Taylor Park
• Jan Juc Surf Beach, and
• Parts of Lorne’s coastline around Louttit Bay and Shelley Beach.

Shire mayor David Bell said the regulations aimed to foster a community where Surf Coast residents and visitors felt safe around dogs.

“We want all people to feel safe in our community. The regulations help us towards this goal, letting people know that dogs are prohibited from playground areas and from fenced sand dune and coastal vegetation areas.

“They also need to be on a lead in beach car parks and on tracks that provide access to the beach.”

Dog owners should look out for signs explaining dog restrictions and also ensure their canine friends are registered, microchipped and displaying registration tags, under effective control at all times and on leash in township areas.

The regulations help protect the environment, with dogs to be cleaned up after and kept away from sensitive hooded plover breeding areas.

The shire council has supported Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC) in an on-lead dog zone pilot at Point Impossible this summer.

“We are asking all dog owners to keep their dogs on a lead between Thompsons Creek at Point Impossible and Point Impossible Nude Beach Carpark,” GORCC coastal reserves manager Caleb Hurrell said.

“It’s been in place since December 1 and the first few weeks of the trial have resulted in most people being happy to put their dogs on a lead to help protect wildlife, including Hooded Plovers.

“We do have a handful of dog walkers who aren’t doing their bit and ask that if people want to walk their dogs off lead, they use an off leash area and put their dogs on lead within 200 metres of any signed hooded plover nests.”

The dog regulations are also in place over the Easter weekend.

Brochures can be collected from the council office in Torquay, Visitor Information Centres, or online at surfcoast.vic.gov.au/dogregs.