VANESSA HALL  
EDITOR  

IN WHAT has involved more than a year of planning and featured public consultation, Sunshine Coast Council will be implementing their new local laws in relation to where and when dogs can either be on or off-leash from Friday, July 3.

Major changes in our region include restrictions at Lake Weyba, seasonal restrictions at Twin Waters and the banning of dogs on any sports fields and at rocky foreshores such as Point Perry.

Since the outset of the proposed changes back in February 2025, there has been strong opposition to taking away dog off-leash access, especially in the Coolum region and a local action group mobilised in response.

Council is calling on people to ‘know before they go’ by checking signage, Council’s website and live mapping before heading out with their dog.

Manager of Regulatory Response Services Shanagh Jacobs said Council was making it easier for the community to understand the changes before heading out.

“Clear signage is being installed across beaches, parks and reserves, and our online map makes it easy to check the rules for your local area before you leave home,” Ms Jacobs said.

“You can access maps through our website, so you know what to expect when you arrive.”

There has been criticism of the approach from Council, with local dog walkers stating that the interactive mapping is not easy to understand and that Council has not done enough to educate the community.

Bree Logie from the ‘Stumers Creek Off-Leash Dog Beach’ action group reinforced these sentiments.

“We are hoping that by July 3, the signs will be up around the area and people will be able to see these,” Bree said.

“At the moment, though people are not educated, and many are only just now trying to understand what is happening. It would have been helpful if residents had received information with their dog registration, for example.”

Bree stated that, as a whole, the interactive maps online were not easy to understand.

“We know what is happening at Stumers, such as dogs must be on a lead in the carpark and only let off once they are 10 meters onto the beach, but in many other areas it’s ambiguous, and if Council wants people to know before they go, then Council should be making it easy for dog owners to find this information out.”

The local action group is also hoping to further work with Council and to promote responsible dog ownership.

“We are hearing that many dog owners are now becoming very wary of Council, especially with dog registrations going up by 110% and the fines for doing the wrong thing, even if unintentional, are over $800. All of this is causing a lot of angst for dog owners, but despite this, we are hoping that we can build a good relationship with Council and local laws officers so that we can all be with our dogs in off-leash areas responsibly and not get huge fines.”

WHAT ARE THE NEW RULES? 
From July 3, the new local laws will introduce:
Adjusted dog off-leash areas at locations including Stumers Beach, Shelly Beach, Currimundi Lake, Ballinger Beach, Alexandra Headland Beach, Kings Beach and Coolum Beach.

Seasonal dog restrictions at Maroochy North Shore (Twin Waters) between October and April to protect threatened migratory shorebirds, with an additional off-leash area provided at Mudjimba South to offset the seasonal closure.
Dogs will no longer be allowed at rocky foreshores, including Point Perry, Point Arkwright, Point Cartwright, Moffat Headland and Caloundra Headland.

Dogs will not be allowed on active sports playing surfaces to protect the health of players, but will be permitted on leash in surrounding common areas and viewing spaces.

In many environmental reserves, dogs will still be welcome on leash. However, dogs will not be allowed in selected conservation, nature and bushland reserves with very high conservation values to protect plants and wildlife.

These measures seek to plan for a growing dog population, with projections of over 80,000 by 2046.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO 
Signage is being updated in stages across the region. At locations where dog access is changing, updated signs will be installed from July 3 and rolled out progressively over the following weeks.

Visit council’s website at www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au and search for ‘dog rules’ and click on the relevant information page.

What do you think? Do you have a dog and are you familiar with the new laws? Why not let us know by sending in a letter to the editor at editor@coolumadvertiser.com.au