Vanessa Hall  
Editor  

THERE will be no reduction in the amount of existing off-leash access at the popular Stumers Creek dog beach after Sunshine Coast Council adopted the Sunshine Coast Dog Exercise Area Regional Plan after a vote at the December 11 Ordinary Meeting.

Whilst only one part of the overall plan, the Stumers Creek dog exercise area was subject to a proactive community campaign by locals who were fiercely against changes at the popular dog beach.

The draft plan for dog exercise areas within the Sunshine Coast Council LGA was released in February and proposed reducing the amount of off-leash accessible beach area at Stumers Creek.

After extensive community consultation, Council Officers recommended that only “minor changes” occur at Stumers Creek and highlighted the importance of the site.

The new provision for Stumers Creek states that visitors arriving by car or walking their pets past the carpark must keep dogs on-leash until they are at least 10 metres beachside of the carpark. This measure improves safety for pedestrians and motorists. The existing off-leash zone, which extends approximately three kilometres north and south of the creek, will remain unchanged.

Stumers Creek Off-Leash Dog Beach Association spokesperson Bree Logie said the community advocacy group was happy with the outcome.

“This is a fabulous compromise compared to the original plan.

“This will allow us to continue to have our dogs off-leash, and we couldn’t have done this without such strong community support – they were by our side, and they allowed us to be their voice.”

Bree also thanked Council for their support and engagement.

“Thank you to the Mayor for listening to us and engaging with the group – we appreciate that.

“And thank you also to Cr Taylor Bunnag for his support and Cr Maria Suarez for her guidance, and Fairfax MP Ted O’Brien.”

The group will now work towards hosting information sessions and making sure people are compliant with the changes.

“We are looking forward to hosting an event with Council in the near future – our work is just beginning as we want to do the right thing and make sure everyone is aware of what is going on, and education is paramount,” Bree stated.

Fairfax MP Ted O’Brien was quick to champion the result and the conduct of the group.

“After months of tireless community advocacy, respectful conversations, and genuine grassroots organising, Stumers Creek will remain an off-leash area for locals and visitors to enjoy.

“Congratulations to the whole Stumers Creek Off Leash Dog Beach Committee on this hard-earned result, and thank you for your practical, polite and persistent advocacy.”

Division 9 Councillor Maria Suarez stated that Council received extensive and varied feedback on the Stumers Creek area.

“From this feedback, we identified accessibility concerns as well as tourism and social benefits. The final plan reflects these considerations and will retain the current off-leash areas, with one change: dogs must remain on a leash in the carpark and for the first 10 metres onto the beach.”

Cr Suarez also stated that the Stumers Creek area was part of a much bigger and broader plan.

“There is no doubt we love our pets and outdoor spaces, and projections are that we will have 80,000 registered dogs by 2046, so planning is very important.

“Regionally, this plan aims to create safe, enjoyable spaces for dogs and their owners in response to our growing population, and we’ve listened to local voices, drawn on expert advice and used data and research to ensure provision of these shared spaces reflects the needs and values of our whole community.”

Next steps 
Council will begin delivering the action plan in stages, subject to funding and annual budget processes. Before any changes to dog access can go ahead, the local laws need to be updated. This will happen in 2026, and the community will be kept updated throughout the process.

More info 
There is lots more to this story, with the Stumers Creek area just one small part of the overall Sunshine Coast Dog Exercise Area Regional Plan. To view other areas, please visit – https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/ and search for ‘Sunshine Coast Dog Exercise Area Regional Plan’.