***** UPDATE *****
City of Burnside has many natural areas, supporting a wide range of wildlife, including threatened species. Dogs are known to disturb, stress and prey upon birds, mammals and reptiles. Keeping dogs on lead in sensitive reserves with high biodiversity value will minimise the risk of dogs attacking or stressing wildlife. As dog walking is a popular and beneficial pastime, a balanced approach is required, maintaining ample opportunities for dog owners to walk their dogs in both suburban and more natural areas. Therefore, community consultation was recommended to determine support for declaring four areas of Local Government land with high biodiversity value as dog on-leash areas (C101023/13545).
In total, 751 valid responses to the community consultation were received. There was strong support for requiring dogs on-leash to protect wildlife, ranging from 76 per cent support for Michael Perry Reserve, to 81 per cent support for the wetland at Kensington Wama.
At their meeting on 18 June 2024, Council supported new dog on-leash areas in Chambers Gully Reserve, Heatherbank Reserve, Michael Perry Reserve and the wetland area at Kensington Gardens Reserve/Kensington Wama.
The resolution was that Council:
1. Notes the community consultation and strong support for four new dog on-leash areas to protect wildlife.
2. Declares the following areas of Local Government Land as dog on-leash areas:
a. Chambers Gully Reserve;
b. Heatherbank Reserve;
c. Michael Perry Reserve; and
d. Wetland area at Kensington Gardens Reserve/Kensington Wama.
3. Endorses actions to implement the new dog on-leash areas, including:
a. Signage placed at common entrances to each area;
b. Information added to Council's website and promoted through social media;
c. A three-month period of education, with random checks of the areas by Council's Rangers; and.
d. After the period of education, random compliance checks of the areas by Council's Rangers.
*****
Background
Dogs can be off a lead in every open space in the City of Burnside when under effective control of their owners. Burnside is also the only metropolitan council where dogs can be off-lead in all its parks and reserves, except near playgrounds, sports games or training and the Tusmore Wading Pool.
Burnside also has many natural areas, supporting a wide range of sensitive biodiversity areas and wildlife including threatened species such as the Southern Brown Bandicoot, Yellow-footed Antechinus, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren and the Cunningham’s Skink.
Unfortunately dogs are known to disturb, stress or prey upon birds, mammals and reptiles in our parks and reserves. Even the most well-behaved dog who is in close proximity to its walker and may return to the person on command, still may wander off paths and interact with, or stress, sensitive wildlife.
Our parks and reserves are for everyone, including all our furry, scaly and feathered friends. Council seeks your feedback on a solution to this issue to ensure that our City’s parks and reserves remain fun, safe and relaxing places to visit, while protecting the wildlife that lives there.
What is proposed?
Council proposes to keep dogs on-lead in four sensitive reserves with high biodiversity value to minimise the risk of dogs attacking or stressing wildlife.
These four locations are proposed as new on-lead areas:
- Chambers Gully Reserve;
- Heatherbank Reserve;
- Michael Perry Reserve; and
- The wetland* area at Kensington Gardens Reserve/Kensington Wama.
Have your say
Council seeks your feedback on this proposal. Feedback from the community will inform the final decision making.
Have your say on this proposal using the survey below.
Survey closes 5 pm Thursday 28 March 2024.
What happens next?
The results of this community engagement will be presented to Council at an Ordinary Meeting in May 2024 for their consideration when making the final decision on introducing any new dog on-lead areas.
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* the Landscape South Australia Act 2019 defines wetland as an area that comprises land that is permanently or periodically inundated with water (whether through a natural or artificial process) where the water may be static or flowing and may range from fresh water to saline water and where the inundation with water influences the biota or ecological processes (whether permanently or from time to time) and includes any other area designated as a wetland—
(a) by a regional landscape plan, a water allocation plan or a water affecting activities control policy; or
(b) by the Planning and Design Code under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016,
but does not include—
(c) a dam or reservoir that has been constructed by a person wholly or predominantly for the provision of water for primary production or human consumption; or
(d) an area within an estuary or within any part of the sea; or (e) an area excluded from the ambit of this definition by the regulations.
*************************************************************************************************
***** UPDATE *****
City of Burnside has many natural areas, supporting a wide range of wildlife, including threatened species. Dogs are known to disturb, stress and prey upon birds, mammals and reptiles. Keeping dogs on lead in sensitive reserves with high biodiversity value will minimise the risk of dogs attacking or stressing wildlife. As dog walking is a popular and beneficial pastime, a balanced approach is required, maintaining ample opportunities for dog owners to walk their dogs in both suburban and more natural areas. Therefore, community consultation was recommended to determine support for declaring four areas of Local Government land with high biodiversity value as dog on-leash areas (C101023/13545).
In total, 751 valid responses to the community consultation were received. There was strong support for requiring dogs on-leash to protect wildlife, ranging from 76 per cent support for Michael Perry Reserve, to 81 per cent support for the wetland at Kensington Wama.
At their meeting on 18 June 2024, Council supported new dog on-leash areas in Chambers Gully Reserve, Heatherbank Reserve, Michael Perry Reserve and the wetland area at Kensington Gardens Reserve/Kensington Wama.
The resolution was that Council:
1. Notes the community consultation and strong support for four new dog on-leash areas to protect wildlife.
2. Declares the following areas of Local Government Land as dog on-leash areas:
a. Chambers Gully Reserve;
b. Heatherbank Reserve;
c. Michael Perry Reserve; and
d. Wetland area at Kensington Gardens Reserve/Kensington Wama.
3. Endorses actions to implement the new dog on-leash areas, including:
a. Signage placed at common entrances to each area;
b. Information added to Council's website and promoted through social media;
c. A three-month period of education, with random checks of the areas by Council's Rangers; and.
d. After the period of education, random compliance checks of the areas by Council's Rangers.
*****
Background
Dogs can be off a lead in every open space in the City of Burnside when under effective control of their owners. Burnside is also the only metropolitan council where dogs can be off-lead in all its parks and reserves, except near playgrounds, sports games or training and the Tusmore Wading Pool.
Burnside also has many natural areas, supporting a wide range of sensitive biodiversity areas and wildlife including threatened species such as the Southern Brown Bandicoot, Yellow-footed Antechinus, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren and the Cunningham’s Skink.
Unfortunately dogs are known to disturb, stress or prey upon birds, mammals and reptiles in our parks and reserves. Even the most well-behaved dog who is in close proximity to its walker and may return to the person on command, still may wander off paths and interact with, or stress, sensitive wildlife.
Our parks and reserves are for everyone, including all our furry, scaly and feathered friends. Council seeks your feedback on a solution to this issue to ensure that our City’s parks and reserves remain fun, safe and relaxing places to visit, while protecting the wildlife that lives there.
What is proposed?
Council proposes to keep dogs on-lead in four sensitive reserves with high biodiversity value to minimise the risk of dogs attacking or stressing wildlife.
These four locations are proposed as new on-lead areas:
- Chambers Gully Reserve;
- Heatherbank Reserve;
- Michael Perry Reserve; and
- The wetland* area at Kensington Gardens Reserve/Kensington Wama.
Have your say
Council seeks your feedback on this proposal. Feedback from the community will inform the final decision making.
Have your say on this proposal using the survey below.
Survey closes 5 pm Thursday 28 March 2024.
What happens next?
The results of this community engagement will be presented to Council at an Ordinary Meeting in May 2024 for their consideration when making the final decision on introducing any new dog on-lead areas.
*************************************************************************************************
* the Landscape South Australia Act 2019 defines wetland as an area that comprises land that is permanently or periodically inundated with water (whether through a natural or artificial process) where the water may be static or flowing and may range from fresh water to saline water and where the inundation with water influences the biota or ecological processes (whether permanently or from time to time) and includes any other area designated as a wetland—
(a) by a regional landscape plan, a water allocation plan or a water affecting activities control policy; or
(b) by the Planning and Design Code under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016,
but does not include—
(c) a dam or reservoir that has been constructed by a person wholly or predominantly for the provision of water for primary production or human consumption; or
(d) an area within an estuary or within any part of the sea; or (e) an area excluded from the ambit of this definition by the regulations.
*************************************************************************************************
