New dog on-lead sites

Dogs must be on lead at 12 new sites across Onkaparinga following changes to council by-laws.

The new restrictions address community concerns about protection of plants and wildlife, such as hooded plovers, as well as about safety and dog attacks. They will come into effect over the coming months as new signage is installed.

The measures follow 2022 changes to ‘By-law 7 – Dogs’ requiring dogs to be on lead during organised sporting events and training sessions on sporting grounds.

The council approved the latest changes to the by-law in July 2024 following community consultation. The consultation established community support for introducing dog-on-lead measures at the majority of the sites.

The 12 sites include:

Blewitt Springs Road Wetland, McLaren Flat
Brodie Road Wetland, Morphett Vale – amended boundary
Candy Road Wetland, O’Halloran Hill
Christies Beach Open Markets, Beach Road, Christies Beach – market times
Frank Smith Reserve, Coromandel Valley – a portion of wetland and bushland
Hart Road Wetland, Aldinga Beach
Madeira Drive Wetland, Morphett Vale
Minkarra Park South, Manning Road, Flagstaff Hill
Pimpala Conservation Reserve, Farnsworth Drive, Morphett Vale
Ridgetop Place Reserve, Coromandel Valley
Scherer Avenue Reserve, Coromandel Valley
South Port sand dunes, between South Port beach and Onkaparinga River.

Current dog-control measures at Minkarra Park North, Port Noarlunga Beach and Christies Beach remain unchanged based on feedback in the consultation.

The new measures coincide with daylight savings, starting from Sunday 6 October, when dogs must be on lead between 10am and 8pm at parts on local beaches including Christies Beach, Port Noarlunga and South Port.

The City of Onkaparinga has four dog-exercise parks where dogs can run off lead: Dinton Farm at Huntfield Heights, Minkarra Park at Aberfoyle Park, Symonds Reserve at Aldinga Beach and a new facility (soon to be opened) at Hurtle John Reserve at Woodcroft. Dogs must be under effective control at all times.

Effective control is defined as physical restraint (with the lead no more than two metres long) or the ability of recall a dog immediately.

Updated maps show the dog on-lead and prohibited areas in the council area. Full details of the changes can be found on the City of Onkaparinga’s Your Say website.

The value of dog-control measures to protect plants and animals comes into sharp focus during the hooded plover nesting season.

Hooded plovers are Australia’s most threatened beach-nesting birds. So far this year there are seven nesting pairs on local beaches but some of their eggs have already been lost.

Each site is monitored by volunteers and data shows that the loss of eggs has been caused by high tides, foxes, dogs and bird predators.

Last season was the most successful on record with seven chicks fledging, that is growing big enough to fly.

The council works with volunteers, BirdLife Australia and Green Adelaide to control foxes in the area and look after the dunes.

In 2023, the council approved changes to ‘By-law 6 – Foreshore’ to better protect hooded plover nesting sites, strengthening dog controls and requiring vehicles to park further away from sites.

See the Onkaparinga website for updates on hooded plover breeding sites and protection zones.