Dog owners are reminded about the requirement to keep their pets under effective control at all times while exercising them on the Peninsula's beaches.
Eight foreshore areas on the Mornington Peninsula are controlled by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) and managed by volunteer Committees of Management.
Council patrols and compliance actions have continued on three DEECA beaches where a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed by the Committee of Management. Meanwhile, Council awaits the signing of the MOU by the remaining Committees of Management. All but one have now committed to signing.
As soon as practicable after the MOU has been signed, we will draft a new compliance plan for patrolling both these foreshore areas and Shire-managed beaches, based on what is achievable within the available resourcing.
The eight DEECA-controlled areas are:
- Balnarring beach foreshore and parks reserve
- Capel Sound foreshore reserve
- Dromana foreshore reserve
- Point Leo foreshore and public park reserves
- Point King foreshore reserve
- Shoreham foreshore reserve
- Somers foreshore reserve
- Whitecliffs to Camerons Bight foreshore reserves
New rules extending the time available to exercise dogs on Shire-managed Peninsula beaches during summer were adopted by Council earlier this year.
As soon as the new regulations have been gazetted, signage at each of the affected beaches will be updated.
Quotes attributable to Mayor Councillor Steve Holland:
"It's been a long and frustrating process trying to work with DEECA to get the MOUs signed. I'm pleased there has been recent progress with getting the agreement finalised."
"The MOU sets out the terms under which DEECA will reimburse the Shire for the cost of patrolling its beaches. Unfortunately, we will be forced to alter the way in which patrols on these beaches are conducted in the future, due to Council's limited resources."
"This is not an ideal situation and represents a significant shift in responsibility from DEECA to the Shire. We will continue to do what we can to keep beachgoers safe with the limited resources we have."
"It would be preferable for DEECA to take responsibility for patrolling its own beaches so that we can focus on our own Shire-managed foreshores and reserves."
