Know your on-leash beach times

Image: Winter dogs on beaches timetable begins.

The winter dogs on beaches timetable is now active for Wollongong City Council’s on-leash beaches. Dogs are allowed on orange zones before 9am and after 4pm during winter. While they are on these beaches, dogs must stay on a leash.

Orange zone beaches include:

• part of Stanwell Park Beach
• Coalcliff
• Scarborough / Wombarra
• Brickyard Point
• Thirroul
• Sandon Point Beach
• Bulli
• Woonona
• part of Bellambi Beach
• Corrimal
• Towradgi
• part of Fairy Meadow Beach
• Fisherman's Beach.

Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said it was important dog owners noted the change of hours for when owners were permitted to take their pet out for exercise.

“Our rangers are out and talking with community members to remind them of their responsibilities as a dog owner,’’ he said.

“And while it’s good that people are giving their dogs essential exercise, they need to follow the rules. This also includes cleaning up after your dog and throwing used poo bags in the bin, and keeping dogs off rock platforms and out of rock and ocean pools.’’

Council has three zones to clearly show where dogs are, and are not, permitted on beaches. Green-zones beaches allow year-round off-leash access, no dogs are allowed in Red Zones, and orange zones have timed, on-leash access. The summer timetable for orange zoned beaches resumes at the start of the September school holidays.

Cr Bradbery said people should always check signs at each beach to ensure they and their pets are doing the right thing.

“We see people out and about and using our beaches and we ask dog owners to follow the rules and do the right thing by their pet and fellow beach users,’’ Cr Bradbery said.

“I would also like to remind everyone that, right now, beaches are for exercise only. They’re not spaces for socialising, sunbaking or relaxation. We all need to work together and to do the right thing to support the State and Federal Governments’ social and physical distancing measures. The number of people being diagnosed with Coronavirus, or COVID-19, might be on a downward trend in NSW but we need to continue to be vigilant to protect our vulnerable community members.’’

Visit our website for Dogs on Beaches information.