The City of Greater Geelong has completed its community engagement on dog control orders on City managed land and will codify its Dog Control Order after incorporating the public’s feedback.
After receiving 1382 responses from over 1000 contributors, most of the affected areas on the Bellarine have seen restrictions on dog activity ease or remain the same.
Barwon Heads Community Park Equestrian already allowed dogs off-leash when horses were not present, a situation that will now be codified as a Tier 2 Equestrian area.
Lake Lorne Reserve Equestrian Centre and Portarlington Pony Club Reserve, which currently disallow dogs at all times, will join Barwon Heads Community Park as Tier 2 Equestrian areas.
The council’s draft order proposed prohibiting dogs altogether at Ocean Grove’s Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve, but community feedback has seen that amended to allow dogs there on-leash all year round.
Indented Head Woodland Nature Reserve currently has no formal order in place, but will now disallow any dog activity.
Yellow Gum Nature Reserve, which also has no order in place, was proposed to prohibit dogs, but the decision has been deferred due to works currently underway at the site.
Portarlington’s Ramblers Road Foreshore will see minor changes to its beach area, with dogs now required to be on-leash between 10am and 5pm from April through August.
Geelong councillor Eddy Kontelj said the changes, a direct result of the community’s engagement on the issue, would be “pleasing” to dog owners.
“There are parks in this review where previously dogs were prohibited, and now areas of those parks, (such as) Lake Lorne Reserve, Portarlington Pony Club Reserve, where… dogs are allowed off the leash,” Cr Kontelj said.
“It’s one of those things that we need to continually be aware of. I know personally from being a dog owner… I’m very mindful of where our dogs can be off-lead or on-lead, but it’s not always simple.
“So I do ask the community to try to familiarise themselves, and if they’re not sure, to contact the council and seek further advice or have a look at the recommendations on our website.”
“Just personally, from all the people that I see walking our paths… most owners are very responsible. So hopefully this goes some way to allowing those activities to occur.”
