Opposition to reduced off-leash area

You may be aware of the fact that Gosford Council is in the process of reviewing its dog strategy.

A number of the residents in Umina (and surrounding areas), who all benefit from the current lease free section of Umina Beach, are outraged about the proposed changes to the use of this beach.

The reasons for our concerns are as follows:

At the meeting at Umina Surf Club in February 2012, the convener representing Council noted at the commencement of the meeting that "this area has a higher than usual percentage of dog registrations".

The meeting had dog owners and ratepayers lined up all the way downstairs to the front entrance of the surf club, and they unanimously expressed their opposition to proposed changes to the existing unleashed area on Umina Beach.

The current strategy has been in place for many years, and many people have found this to be a major factor in their respective decisions to move to Umina.

Look at it from our point of view.

What a great area to relocate to, only an hour or so from Sydney, and a safe and healthy place where both you and your dog can enjoy the beach environment.

It is a very safe area for anyone to walk their dogs, irrespective of their age or gender.

There are almost always other people on the beach, (and during the week, and in the off season, they are mostly fellow dog walkers).

The many people who walk their dogs are able to have a chat with the other dog owners and patrons of the beach, or at least exchange pleasantries.

Our dogs love to play and interact together.

It is a great place for newcomers to the area to meet new friends who have the love of their dogs in common, and being able to walk them leash free along the beach.

The proposed changes will effectively take away half of the current beach use for unleashed dogs.

They will still be allowed on this stretch of the beach on leash, but this begs the question: What possible benefit is this to the dog walkers, Umina residents, tourists, or the general community?

None!

Instead, it unfairly prejudices the existing rights of dog owners.

Every year, especially in the autumn and winter months, the creek that runs along the caravan park has a tributary, which extends to the sea.

While walking through brackish water is not our idea of a healthy or tourist attractive environment, the fact of the matter is that in autumn, winter, and early spring, most of us wear shoes, and therefore cannot cross any such tributary.

Depending upon where the tributary is at any given time of the year, this can effectively cut off about 50 metres of the beach for use by people walking their dogs.

Accordingly, the combination of this tributary and the proposed new strategy would effectively, (at least during significant periods of the year), remove at least 100 metres of the leash free area of the beach.

This is just unfair, unconscionable, and unacceptable.

To now change the game rules after so many people who have either lived here all their lives, or who have invested their money and moved here in good faith based upon the premise that the leash free area is available, is tantamount to misleading and deceptive conduct on the Council's behalf.

It is also at odds with the spirit of legislation such as the Companion Animals Act 1998.

It is very interesting to point out the timing of the proposed new strategy.

The Council did not submit it until some seven months after the February 2012 meeting, and without otherwise convening any further public meeting either before or after doing so.

We residents are inclined to conclude, that the Council did so at a time after the September Council elections, whereby the general opposition of the Umina rate payers - voters against any such proposal, would have no doubt been reflected in the voting results.

Why on earth, in the above circumstances, would the Council even contemplate the proposed changes, which invite public outrage?

It is acting in a manner that is contrary to the plethora of rate paying citizens and dog owners in Umina Beach, and this cannot, and will not be condoned or allowed to proceed without lawful protest.

We have advised the Council that if it intends to proceed with this biased and ridiculous strategy, it can expect lawful public protest at its council doors.

Email, 18 Nov 2012

Belinda Kenneally, Umina