Published on 06 March 2024

Have your say on dog area changes

The City of Onkaparinga wants your feedback on proposed changes to dog on-leash and dog-prohibited areas at 15 sites across the city.

The proposed changes—which are spread across wetlands, reserves and open spaces, and beaches and sand dunes—respond to feedback received from the community in 2022 when the council was remaking its Dog By-law.

Many of the changes are aimed at protecting important wildlife and plant species—some of them threatened or endangered—by proposing on-leash restrictions where there are currently none.

Other changes, such as at Port Noarlunga beach—where it’s proposed dogs will be prohibited at all times during daylight savings, rather than only between 10am and 8pm—aim to increase compliance with existing controls, and to create a space for those scared of dogs to visit the beach with confidence.

You can learn more about the proposed changes and rationale, and provide your feedback at the council’s Your Say page until Sunday 31 March, including via the individual links below.

Following consultation, a report including the engagement outcomes will be provided to Council, who will consider the proposed changes and decide whether to adopt the change for each site.

For more information on the City of Onkaparinga’s current dog exercise and prohibited areas, visit the council’s website.

Unless otherwise signposted, Onkaparinga’s parks and reserves are available for the off-leash exercise of dogs (excluding playground areas), as well as almost 10 kilometres of foreshore. There are currently three dog parks in Onkaparinga (Huntfield Heights, Happy Valley and Aldinga) with a fourth to be completed at Woodcroft this year thanks to state government funding and the support of Nat Cook, Member for Hurtle Vale.

Proposed changes to dog on-leash and dog prohibited restrictions

Wetlands

• Candy Road Wetland, O’Halloran Hill
• Madeira Drive Wetland, Morphett Vale
• Brodie Road Wetland, Morphett Vale
• Hart Road Wetland, Aldinga Beach
• McLaren Flat Wetland, McLaren Flat
• Frank Smith Reserve wetland and bushland areas, Coromandel Valley

Reserves and open spaces

• Minkarra Park North, Happy Valley Drive, Flagstaff Hill
• Minkarra Park South, Manning Road, Flagstaff Hill
• Pimpala Conservation Reserve, Farnsworth Drive, Morphett Vale
• Scherer Avenue Reserve, Coromandel Valley
• Ridgetop Place Reserve, Coromandel Valley
• Christies Beach Open Markets, Beach Road, Christies Beach

Beaches and sand dunes

• Port Noarlunga Beach, from the Port Noarlunga Surf Life Saving Club to the cliffs at the northern end
• Christies Beach, between Christies Sailing Club ramp and southern section adjacent Short Street
• South Port sand dunes, adjacent to Jubilee Park Port Noarlunga, south to the river mouth