‘Deeply divided’: Dog owners rage over ‘selfish’ beach ban

A nasty war of words has erupted over a “selfish” plan, pushed by multi-millionaire homeowners, to ban dogs from a popular off-leash beach on the NSW south coast.

Shoalhaven City Council last month approved the controversial proposal to permanently shrink the allowed off-leash of Narrawallee Beach, an idyllic reserve just north of Mollymook.

It has become a popular spot for local dog walkers since council first introduced the off-leash policy in 2015, but residents who own homes overlooking the beach — some of which are valued at up to $12 million — claim “irresponsible” owners have let their animals run wild to attack children and beachgoers and left faeces on the sand.

The Narrawallee Beach Environmental Group last year secured a narrow victory challenging the council’s dog policy in the NSW Land and Environment Court, resulting in revised arrangements approved last month.

But council will revisit its decision at its meeting on Monday night at the urging of Councillor Patricia White, after furious backlash from dog owners.

“We’ve got $12 million houses in this area, and neighbours are picking on each other, and it is really destroying the neighbourhood,” Cr White told The Sydney Morning Herald last week.

The revised access arrangements would shrink the off-leash area to a 500-metre stretch in the centre of the beach and ban dog walkers from using the main access stairs, instead requiring them to enter via a remote bush track.

They would also be barred from a rocky outcrop where dog owners often sit while their dogs play.

Lisa Martin, secretary of advocacy group Paws 4 Shoalhaven, told The Sydney Morning Herald the push was being driven by a “really elite minority group who just want the beach to themselves”.

“I’ve seen a lady wielding a stick, threatening to hit any dog that comes near her,“ she said. “There are people hiding in bushes with cameras, trying to catch people with noncompliance with the rules.”

More than 850 locals responded to a community engagement survey about the proposed changes, with a “clear majority” of 64 per cent opposed and calling for greater off-leash access.

“The findings highlight deeply divided opinions within the community, with dog owners seeking greater access contrasted against a consistent minority who prefer reduced or no dog access,” council’s report said.

One of the top concerns raised by dog owners was the loss of access to the beach via stairs at Victor Avenue, which are seen as safer and more convenient than the Matron Porter Reserve access points, particularly for the elderly and disabled.

In its response to the survey findings, council said the Matron Porter Reserve tracks had been “assessed and are considered fit-for-purpose”.

On-leash dog access via the Victor Avenue stairway was “not considered viable” as it connects to a dog-prohibited area under the plan, council added.

Council extended the proposed ban to the southern end of the beach and the main stairs after an environmental review, citing concerns for shore birds.

Those backing the dog ban raised “concerns about dogs using the beach unleashed around children and families” and “irresponsible dog ownership, including waste and control”, according to the survey.

However, council noted that “generally … there is a high-level of dog compliance demonstrated by dog owners at Narrawallee Beach”.

Last year’s court case was brought by 13 residents, who described a number of incidents of dogs attacking them or their children, among other safety concerns.

One resident “deposed to having his young children chased and jumped on by off-leash dogs”.

They also alleged altercations with dog owners, including “being yelled at and spoken to in an abusive manner when requesting that an owner pick up their dog’s faeces” and other “instances of verbal abuse from owners upon requesting that they control their dogs”, the judgement stated.

One member of the group described an “off-leash dog running into and almost knocking over her elderly mother on the Victoria Avenue steps”.

Phil Bradshaw from the Narrawallee Beach Environmental Group said it was “utter nonsense” that one group was trying to reserve the beach for themselves as there was a “broad community” of families, children, surfers and others who use the area.

“It’s not mandatory to like dogs,” he told the newspaper.

“A lot of people, especially women and children, are frightened of dogs, and anything that minimises potential for conflict has got to be a good thing.”

The Narrawallee Beach Environmental Group has argued council has “lost control of the dogs in the community” and that Narrawallee Beach now attracts 130,000 a year from all over the district, but Paws 4 Shoalhaven claims the figure is closer to 42,000 and most owners are considerate.

Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley told last month’s meeting that she avoided morning walks on Narrawallee Beach due to the number of dogs, describing the original 2015 decision as “terribly wrong”, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

But one Victor Avenue homeowner said she “totally” rejected the opinions of the Narrawallee Beach Environment Group cited in the newspaper article.

“It just shows what a narrow minded and selfish group they are!” she wrote in the Paws 4 Shoalhaven Facebook group.

Another said, “The comments are viciously anti-dog.”

“Members of the Narrawallee Environmental Protection group are happy, they fail to mention that’s only 13 people they’ve made happy at the cost of the majority!” a third wrote.

But one contributor argued that “if more dog owners were responsible … there wouldn’t be this stoush”.

“We should all be able to walk our dogs on the beach, but we can’t because someone can’t be bothered to train their dogs properly or can’t be stuffed picking up their turds, or in extreme cases, have their dogs attack other animals or people,” he said.

“Deal with it and walk your dog somewhere else.”

Monday’s proposed council motion to rescind last month’s decision would defer any change until after the September local government elections.

It proposes to hold a further meeting between council, Paws 4 Shoalhaven and the Narrawallee Beach Environment Group after the elections, and revisit the access plan for further debate in council.

frank.chung@news.com.au