Off-leash exercise areas return

Off-the-leash dog exercise areas will be re-established on St Hubert's Island and at Empire Bay following an environmental review taking 12 months to complete.

Gosford Council has approved exercise areas at Long Arm Pde Reserve, St Hubert's Island, and Sorrento Rd Reserve, Empire Bay.

However, a former off-leash exercise area at Beachfront Pde, St Huberts Island, will remain closed.

Off leash exercise areas from Davistown to St Hubert's Island were suspended by Council in October last year when it was decided to assess their impact on the threatened bird species, the bush stone-curlew.

The areas were re-opened for on-leash exercise the following month, and have remained so while the environmental assessment was undertaken.

The review found that "the Beachfront Pde Reserve is in close proximity of a bush stone-curlew breeding site (which is one of two remaining sites within the Brisbane Water area) and the numerous records of the species from within the reserve indicates the significance of the foreshore at this location as habitat for the species".

The reserve was also "considered to be of high habitat value and is likely that the reserve could provide habitat to threatened species and/or migratory waders".

"Beachfront Pde Reserve is approximately 40m to the west of a breeding record for the bush stone-curlew at St Huberts Island.

"Whilst the bush stone-curlew has not been sighted breeding within the reserve, it is regularly found foraging within the site, and it is likely that the reserve provides support habitat to the breeding area.

"The proposed use of the site for dog off-leash activities would be likely to have a significant effect imposed upon the local population of the bush stone-curlew."

The review considered the Long Arm Pde Reserve to be of low habitat value to the species providing only marginal or intermittent habitat for the bush stone-curlew.

The review also stated that the exercise area at Sorrento Rd Reserve, Empire Bay is "of little or no importance to the species [as] the reserve does not contain any of the key features of the preferred natural habitat for the bush stone-curlew."

According to the report by council officers, signage will be constructed throughout approved off leash areas "to remind dog owners of their responsibilities, both in terms of the local community and in terms of the Companion Animals Act 1998."

The areas will be regularly monitored by Council staff and should Council or local environment groups detect bush stone-curlew breeding in any of the reserves, the designated areas in which the breeding is taking place may, upon assessment, be temporarily closed to dogs and their owners.

Endorsed sites will be re-opened for dog off leash activity once signage has been installed and council recommendations actioned.

Council further resolved to review the situation for all six sites considered by the assessment in 24 months.

Council Agenda, Env 63, 64 and 65, 2 Nov 2010