Pittwater Life Febraury 2024 Issue

‘Offleash dog trials must start’
Pittwater MP Rory Amon has called
on Northern Beaches Council to
expedite the commencement of trials
of off-leash dog spaces on Mona Vale
Beach South and Palm Beach North.
“As we start 2024, we enter the third
decade of our community’s struggle
with council and a maze of bureaucratic
absurdities to let families enjoy a small
part of beach space with their dogs,” said
a frustrated Mr Amon.
He said the two-decades long battle
had continued since Pittwater Council
closed Careel Bay to dog swimming in
2003.
Since then, attempts have been made
and are ongoing to trial off-leash space
on small sections of Mona Vale Beach
South and Palm Beach North, primarily
before 10am and after 4pm daily.
Mr Amon said that in a recent report
to Northern Beaches Council, residents
were informed that it would take until
at least August 2024 to progress the trial.
“Environmental studies have given the
trials a green tick of approval, and community
support sits at nearly 90 per cent,
with nearly 4,000 submissions made,” he
said.
Mr Amon said that since 2003, forces
“had worked to subvert the will of our
POPULAR: Rowland Reserve at Bayview is a rare
waterside venue for walking dogs offleash.
community, and we have evidence of
this”.
“This cannot continue.”
Mr Amon has lobbied the NSW Minister
for Lands and Property Stephen
Kamper to do all in his power to have
Crown Lands assist Council expedite
the process through the complex Plan of
Management legislation.
In late 2023, Mr Amon delivered a
PHOTO: Gotta Luv Dogs/Facebook
speech in the NSW Parliament calling out
the former Pittwater and current Northern
Beaches Councils for their delays,
and calling for reforms of Crown Land
management.
“The system for managing Crown
lands is fundamentally broken,” he said.
“Council has been delaying this process
since before I could legally drink. I
can say to the council that if this matter
is not expedited with as much haste as
possible, I will do everything I can to
pressure the council to commence the
trial. If that means knocking on doors or
moving private members’ bills to amend
the Act to streamline the process or embarrassing
the Council into action, then
that is what I will do because the process
has taken far too long.”
He added that although Council now
appeared to be on the right track – and
he thanked them for working in earnest
– “… residents and I am on alert to
make sure Council finally upholds the
community will and I look forward to
the Minister approving Council’s adopted
Plan of Management in 2024”.
“Might 2024 finally be the year where
families with dogs can enjoy some offleash
space on Mona Vale Beach South
and Palm Beach North?” – Nigel Wall
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
FEBRUARY 2024 9