Dogs allowed back on foreshore

Foreshore reserves in Empire Bay and St Hubert's Island have been reopened as on-leash dog exercise areas only after Gosford Council completed a preliminary environmental assessment.

The council considered an urgency motion at its meeting on October 13 about the potential impact of its dog exercise areas on the bush-stone curlew, a threatened species under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

Exercise areas at St Hubert's Island, Empire Bay and further afield may now be accessed by dogs on leash only, said council's coordinator of parks, playgrounds and foreshores Ms Kim Radford.

"All off-leash dog exercise areas are still suspended for off-leash dog exercising, however dogs are permitted on-leash in these areas until further notice.

"Further environmental assessments are being undertaken to determine if the off-leash areas can be re-opened to off-leash dog exercising.

"These assessments are expected to take several months."

Signage has been erected at the affected foreshore areas to reflect the changes.

The affected reserves include Long Arm Pde Reserve and Beach Front Pde Reserve in St Hubert's Island and Sorento Reserve in Empire Bay.

Press release, 5 Nov 2009 Kim Radford, Gosford Council