Exercising your dog

Council recognises the importance of dogs being allowed time to exercise unrestrained and there are seven off-leash areas in the shire. Dogs can exercise, roam freely and socialise under the supervision of their owner or person in charge at the following designated off-leash areas:

1. Bicentennial Gardens, the northern area of the reserve, Ballina
2. Compton Drive, East Ballina
3. Gap Road, Alstonville
4. Seven Mile Beach, north of Lennox Head - Alstonville Surf Life Saving Club
5. Ballina Heights Estate, eastern reserve area, Ballina Heights
6. Headlands Drive Drainage Reserve, Skennars Head
7. The Spit, Ballina

Conditions of Use

• Your dog must always be under effective control. ‘Effective control’ means your dog responds to your command and remains close to you.
• If your dog is not sufficiently trained to be under your effective control and shows signs of anti-social behaviour and aggression you must remove the dog immediately from the area.
• Pick up your dog poo and dispose in a waste bin.
• Be considerate of all other users of the area. It is not for the exclusive use of dogs and their owners.

Resources

• Off-Leash Dog Exercise Areas factsheet (0.57mb pdf)
• NSW Office of Local Government website - Dogs and Cats
• Cycleways and Shared Paths Map including Dog Friendly Areas

Dog 'No-Go' Areas

If a person is found to allow their dog in these prohibited areas they may be issued with a fine which may exceed $330. Because of the popularity of some beaches and the presence of migratory and shorebirds, dogs are not allowed on:

• Shelly Beach
• Lighthouse Beach
• Seven Mile Beach, south of identified beach access track located just north of Lennox Head/Alstonville Surf Lifesaving Club
• Flat Rock reef
• The Serpentine
• Sharpes Beach, northern end of Sharpes Beach during surf patrols
• Shaws Bay
• Chickiba Lake, north/eastern corner surrounding the migratory and shorebirds roosting area
• Lake Ainsworth and surrounding foreshore/reserve
• Fire Trail end of Camp Drewe Road, Lennox Head

Additional public areas defined under Section 14 of the Companion Animals Act 1998 NSW where dogs are not permitted:

• In or within 10m of any children's play areas
• Food preparation or consumption areas (unless it is in a public thoroughfare such as a road, footpath or pathway)
• Recreation areas where dogs are declared prohibited
• School grounds (unless with the permission of the person controlling the school)
• Child care centres (unless with the permission of the person controlling the centre)
• Shopping areas where dogs are prohibited (unless secured in a vehicle, with the permission of the person controlling the place or going to or from a vet or pet shop)
• Wildlife protection areas
• and as indicated on Council signage at sites throughout the Shire.

Council can elect not to permit dogs in particular recreation areas, public bathing areas, and shopping centres.