Ziggy the cavoodle with owner Rachel Piggott enjoying the newly extended leash-free area at Hams Beach | Image supplied.
An extension to the off-leash area at Hams Beach is sure to get tails wagging.
Under changes brought in this week by Lake Macquarie Council, the off-lead stretch of beach to the north has almost tripled from 290m in length to 860m.
It means the overall space for dogs to run free has increased from 38,000m2 to 70,000m2.
The boss of Asset Management at Council, Karen Partington said the change followed a recommendation in Council’s Dogs in Open Space Strategy.
“Lake Mac is home to more than 92,000 registered dogs, so dog owners are key users of our open spaces,” she said.
“Hams Beach has long been a popular spot to exercise our four-legged friends, and extending the off-leash beach area will no doubt be a welcome move as the warmer months approach.”
However, the dunes between the beach and the grassed off-leash areas off Mawson Close have been removed as off-lead to protect the fragile coastal environment.
The beach area south of the off-leash area to Caves Beach will remain off-limits to dogs, in line with the requirement for dogs to stay at least 400m from patrolled beach zones.
“We’re installing clear signage to clearly delineate off-leash, on-leash and dog-prohibited areas,” Ms Partington said.
“If an area isn’t identified as either off-leash or dog-prohibited, dogs are permitted on-leash.”
The only exceptions are public barbecue facilities and children’s playgrounds, with dogs prohibited of being within 10m of these areas under the Companion Animals Act.
Lake Mac is home to a growing number of off-leash areas for dogs. Two new spaces – at Nords Wharf Oval and Myuna Bay foreshore – were implemented in July, bringing the total to 32.
Ms Partington said rangers would be onsite at Hams Beach over the next four weeks to help educate visitors about the changes.