Councillors voted unanimously on 6th October to accept a petition from 10 Port Melbourne residents that requests Council consider opening Port Melbourne beaches to dog walkers before 10am during the November–March summer period. The petition coincides with drafting of a new Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP) and Council Officers will consider the merits of the petition when reviewing the current dog restrictions on Port Melbourne beaches along with all other community feedback. The final DAMP will be presented to Council in November for adoption.
Presently, local laws restrict dog off-leash areas during summer. See the beach access restrictions map here: https://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/media/u5lpmmay/beach-access.pdf
Current local laws allow dog access on the following beaches during the summer months, noting Middle Park Beach and Elwood Beach allow dog access in the early morning:
- Sandridge Beach: between the rock groyne opposite Barak Road and the rock groyne opposite Cumberland Road
- Port Melbourne Beach: between Port Melbourne Yacht Club and Lagoon Pier
- Middle Park: between Kerferd Road Pier and Langridge Street (7.30 pm to 10 am, 1 November to 31 March)
- St Kilda West: West Beach
- St Kilda Beach: Along Pier Road to the drainage channel at the north-west end of Pier Rd and between Brooks Jetty and the northern end of the car park towards St Kilda Marina
- Elwood Beach: between the rock groyne south of Point Ormond and the beach access ramp 35 metres south-east of Normandy Road (5.30 am to 9.30 am, 1 November to 31 March).
The Port Melbourne petitioners who spoke at the Council meeting advised that ‘dog numbers in Port Phillip have increased by approximately 1000 dogs’ with ‘the largest increase has been in Port Melbourne’. The petitioners also mentioned that ‘beaches are very empty in the early mornings and people generally walk their dogs ‘either early in the morning or in the evening’.
Brodie Mitchell said “We have limited public space in the city and many recreation grounds are taken over by Cricket and other sports in Summer. There are very few people on the beaches in Port Melbourne in the morning, and yet they are left largely empty due to this social deprivation being imposed upon our community”. Brodie went on to say, “We are just asking for reasonable access to public space at a time when few others are using it.”
Finally, if you have an opposing view about early morning access of dogs to Port Phillip beaches, we will welcome the opportunity to publish your article.
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