Pittwater Unleashed in Avalon, New South Wales, Australia | Community

Pittwater Unleashed

Locality: Avalon, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 412 894 304

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25.01.2022 Latest update from Melissa, on Geoff''s new dog, Cubby. "The boys have been to the vet yesterday to have desexing, vaccinations, microchips, heart worm tests and injections. Cubby went fine, but the other pup, whose name is Zeus, had a hernia which was repaired at same time. Both puppies are happily responding to their names." It's amazing what can happen when a community pulls together. At the very least, two little dogs have been rescued from what was a terrible situation.... It contrasts sharply with the behaviour of the Palm Beach Protection Group and their confected "environmental" concerns. A study in selfless v’s selfish - you be the judge!

24.01.2022 The story so far.....not all is lost: Rory Amon: Council needs to ensure that dog owners have fair on-leash and off-leash access to public space in an environmentally sensitive manner. For too long, Green elements within the public service have prevented this. Since day one on Council, I have been fighting for these basic rights for Northern Beaches dog owners. The Court’s decision on Station Beach is very disappointing and points to failures in Council’s process. I will be calling on Council to urgently address these deficiencies so that off-leash and on-leash dogs will be permitted on Station Beach in an environmentally sensitive manner as soon as possible, said Cr Amon.

24.01.2022 This is how silly all these dog laws have become: Pick the edge of the grassy area. Dog is OK on the grassy area. At Clareville for example, you can set up on the edge of the beach and have your dog with you on the edge of the grass. If you are by yourself, leave pup tethered while you duck in for a swim, or carry pup across the sand and enjoy a swim together. There's no rule banning pup from the waterway itself. However, several people have alleged (2014-2017) being fined for carrying their dogs across the sand at Clareville Beach and then putting their dogs on their paddleboards.

22.01.2022 STATION BEACH TRIAL - DAY 1 Many would be aware that, consistent with the overwhelming wishes of the community, opinions of the environmental experts, concurrence of the state agencies, and recommendations of Council staff, Northern Beaches Council resolved last August (14 months ago) to commence the off-leash trial at Station Beach. Following this 12 votes to 2 decision of Council, but before staff could commence the trial, a legal challenge sponsored by Richard Kovacs was b...Continue reading

21.01.2022 The 'no dogs on the bed' rule is going well!!!! Chris Hibberd's delightful photo helping us understand who really rules the roost!

21.01.2022 They say people look like their pets. So this must be Richard Gere’s dog. It's tell a friend Tuesday - especially if they live in Newport!

20.01.2022 STATION BEACH TRIAL - DAY 3 You don’t say ‘I’m going for a walk with the dog’, you say ‘I’m going to walk the dog’. So says Senior Counsel for the Applicant, Neil Williams SC. The point he was making (in his words) is that it’s not a people-focused activity, or put another way it’s all about the dog....Continue reading

20.01.2022 Pittwater Unleashed had its Annual General Meeting today - lunch then the serious business! This is your team. Lots to talk about including the legal challenge to the Station Beach trial in the Land & Enviroment Court; an Integrated Dog Policy which needs to cover the needs of Manly, Warringah and Pittwater; Council elections next September; social media; the removal of nearly 30 improperly placed "Dogs Prohibited" signs and lots more. AND! We expect that a determination re Station Beach should be handed down shortly.

20.01.2022 NORTHERN BEACHES "LOCK-OUT" MINDSET IS SOMETHING DOG-OWNERS HAVE BATTLED FOR YEARS, AND NOW IT'S HIT THE KIDS WITH BIKES Check out this outstanding piece of local journalism from Northern Beaches Advocate - a compelling read for decision-makers about the need to properly consult, and provide for a clear community need: https://www.northernbeachesadvocate.com.au//the-voices-no/

18.01.2022 A ROW OVER ALLOWING DOGS ON THE BEACH HAS SPLIT THE WELL-TO DO COMMUNITY OF PALM BEACH, RESULTING IN A FOUR-DAY COURT CASE AND A 100-PAGE JUDGMENT. Julie Cross November 26, 2020 - 8:26AM Manly Daily ... It’s an unassuming stretch of narrow sand on Sydney’s northern beaches. But a row over whether dogs should be allowed on Station Beach which runs along Pittwater has split the well-to-do Palm Beach community into two camps. See the full story here: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au//bde6706a83b9486bffd2e41

17.01.2022 Our comments suggest Stairway to Heaven. Any other suggestions?

17.01.2022 Are you feeling somewhat dismayed by last week’s Land & Environment Court’s decision to ban dogs from Station Beach? Well here’s what you can do write to Kylie Ferguson she is happy to receive any comments. [email protected] And Rory Amon will listen to you, too. [email protected]... Please be respectful and let them know what this means to you/your family/your dog. Children speak from the heart, so maybe ask your child/ren to compose a short email which you can send on their behalf, as well. Station Beach is important to us for any number of reasons it has easy access and it has a flat, hard surface which makes it a good option for those who are elderly, those with mobility issues and those whose health isn’t the best. Have a nice weekend it will be a hot one and it would have been nice to have started the day with a morning walk on our beloved Station Beach.

17.01.2022 Calling Everyone - thinking about what to buy for Christmas? Here's an idea - and you will be supporting a local cause. "Anyone into dogs please consider supporting The Dog Project book for the gorgeous Indie who has put all her love into this along with Ellie who took the doggie portraits & Indie's mum, Tania. Of course I'm biased - my Marcus & Romulus posed for their portraits. For Northern Beaches locals the launch of the book is on Sunday 5th December, 2.30pm at the Avalon Bowling Club - great Christmas present for dog lovers." (Gail Sadler)

15.01.2022 From Councillor Rory Amon "Station Beach off-leash dog trial cancelled. Today, the Court overturned council's decision to allow a 12 month off-leash dog trial. This is a very disappointing result.... I will continue the fight to ensure that this and other off-leash dog trials can occur in accordance with the Court's ruling and in an environmentally sensitive way." From Pittwater Unleashed: This 42,081-word decision of the Court takes us by surprise, but we are undaunted by its contents. Whenever 100 pages are required to offer "clarification" on a Council decision about something as mundane as letting the family dog have a splash, something intuitively feels amiss. And so is the case with this decision, which on our assessment contains several prospective grounds for appeal. Regardless of the likelihood of an appeal, we remain mindful of the powers Council holds as decision-maker on behalf of the community, and the Court's role more as guardian of process. We are confident Council can adjust process as necessary, so as to ward off any similarly opportunistic technical challenge in the future, and to finally deliver upon the intent of the Council resolutions that have been found in this case, rightly or wrongly, to be imperfectly drafted. We commend the Council for acting in the public interest in this matter and have every confidence that it will continue to do so.

15.01.2022 STATION BEACH TRIAL - DAY 4 Today was the last day of the hearing, wrapping up at 11:30. Senior Counsel for the First Respondent (Council) Adrian Galasso SC concluded his submissions drawing His Honour’s attention to the matter of a so-called western boundary of the off-leash area. This had been a point of considerable interest to the Court in yesterday’s submissions. Mr Galasso demonstrated that the materials before the Council (chiefly the Review of Environmental Factors)...Continue reading

14.01.2022 RIP Alex, who was nearly 14 years old when he died today. He walked and swam these Northern Beaches since puppyhood. He splashed in Careel Bay before it was closed down with the promise to find an alternative swimming area, a dodgy promise made by the former Pittwater Council, knowing full well that they never intended to make good on the promise. This was Alex's last walk on Station Beach on Boxing Day, albeit on his wheels. And we think of all those dogs that never live...d to see Station Beach off-leash. It's been a seven year fight. But tomorrow, the Battle for the Beaches starts and will conclude on Friday, October 23 in the Land & Environment Court Richard Kovacs and the Palm Beach Protection Group v the Northern Beaches Council. So stay tuned, tomorrow should be interesting.

11.01.2022 Have you ever heard of the Council’s Strategic Reference Groups? Well, here is a two part explanation of how they affect your life. There is a network of Strategic Reference Groups (SRG's) set up by Council to "tap the views of the community" on certain policy topics, and these SRG's can become incubation chambers for narrow ideology. If an idea like "we need to ban the kids from making these bike tracks" is brought to an SRG, it can quickly gain support if those assembled... around the table are of similar mind. The same deal applies to "we need to ban dogs from the foreshore". The SRG view then permeates staff (some of whom themselves sit on the SRG's) and the organisation can be steered a certain way. We even had an instance last month where, in discussion with Pittwater Unleashed, a senior member of Council staff was under the impression that "dogs were banned from all foreshore". It fell to us to explain to him that that was absolutely not the case, and the only control is the prohibition of dogs on beaches (an undefined term), swimming enclosures and specially protected areas like Careel Bay intertidal. It took a briefing from PU to help this staff member understand the reality, presumably because the version he had obtained from fellow staff was misapprehended guff originating from a poorly constituted SRG. Part 2 tomorrow. Aren't Bev and Francois just so lovely? If I remember rightly, an older man came along and chatted to the two ladies. Francois is French - he asked her somewhat cheekily if she can cook? Oooh la la! She is a professional chef - is it Bistro Boulevard at Av? Whatever! Isn't it amazing how dogs bring people together?

10.01.2022 From Dr. Chris Brown: BREAKING NEWS! ‘Major’ the German Shepherd will be the first rescue dog to ever live in the White House. President Elect, Joe Biden, adopted Major from a shelter two years ago as company for their other much older German Shepherd, Champ. Congratulations to Major and Champ.... The journey from the dog house to the White House is one worth celebrating!

10.01.2022 Cut the strings. Not sure if this is for real or photoshopped but it’s a possibility it could happen. A few years ago, a swamp hen at Narrabeen Lakes had a Coke can stuck on her beak - so be mindful of danger to wildlife. The little swamp hen died - she was too skitty to be caught and probably died of starvation and stress. And it is the season for ducklings - make sure that your dog is leashed up if you are anywhere near ducks, albeit a dog exercise area.

08.01.2022 DREADED LOCK-OUT MINDSET THAT’S BEEN DRIVING LOCAL FAMILIES WITH DOGS NUTS NOW PUSHING KIDS ON BIKES TO THE FRINGE This excerpt from the Manly Daily 3 November 2020: Retired Northern Beaches Commander Dave Darcy has delivered a strong message to the council, slamming its decision to knock down unauthorised bike trails in Seaforth....Continue reading

07.01.2022 STATION BEACH TRIAL - DAY 2 The opening remarks by Adrian Galasso SC for First Respondent (Council) commenced in earnest today, with identification of appropriate powers within the Companion Animals Act (CAA) for the functions exercised by Council in relation to the recent changes in signage at Station Beach. In identifying these powers, Mr Galasso spoke of the underlying common law right to be in a public place, and to be in a public place with a dog, subject to any limitati...Continue reading

06.01.2022 Station Beach - statement from Council, just released As reported by Northern Beaches Advocate: Northern Beaches Council is reviewing the judgment of the Land and Environment Court relating to Station Beach dog areas while continuing to explore the feasibility of unleashed dog areas on parts of North Palm Beach and the southern-most end of Mona Vale Beach. ... The Court’s decision last Friday means that the off leash trial and current on-leash area may not continue on Station Beach at this stage. The Court found that development consent is not required. Council is further considering the need for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). As a result of the judgement, Council will remove the signage allowing the current on-leash arrangements at Station Beach and replace this with ‘dogs prohibited’ signage. Mayor Michael Regan said Council resolved at its meeting in July to prepare a report on the feasibility of off leash arrangements at sections of North Palm Beach and Mona Vale Beach and this work is proceeding. Station Beach has been explored as a site for an off-leash dog trial over many years and we believed we had followed a robust and appropriate process to ensure it could proceed in an environmentally safe way. Council is continuing to review the judgment and its implications. In the meantime I look forward to considering the feasibility study at North Palm Beach and the southern-most end of Mona Vale Beach. Photo: Avalon Stand-up Paddle via Scotty Wilcox (thank you!)

05.01.2022 ANOTHER HOT DAY AHEAD: THE 5 SECOND TEST No matter the temperature, our pups seem to lose all sense of their environment when it comes to their walk time. They can be flaked out on the bathroom tiles seeking the coolness one moment and, with the clink of a lead, they are up and raring to go the next!! Sometimes it can be a borderline decision and can be hard to determine whether it is actually still just too hot. One simple test you can do to determine if walkies is still goi...ng to happen is the Five Second Test. Place the back of your hand on the road/footpath surface you intend walking your dog on and if you can't leave it there for five seconds then it is too hot and will burn your fur baby's pads. If you are unsure always err on the side of caution and leave the walk till a much cooler time of day. (Don't Fret Pet newsletter)

05.01.2022 Thanx to one of our Pittwater Unleashers for this gem. Guilty as charged!

03.01.2022 Pittwater Life article.

02.01.2022 Dog Rally, 2015 at Bayview - Just saying thank you to all those people who have supported us through the years. It's been a long a haul! To Kelcy, who put up signs with Michele's email address around Bayview and kicked off Pittwater Unleashed in 2014; to Judy who addressed the Council so eloquently at the first meeting of dog owners; and to Joss - always rising to the occasion with signs and doing whatever job needs doing - thanx heaps. And to everyone else, even if you are just a supporter on Facebook - to those who have Liked, Followed and Reviewed us - thanx.

02.01.2022 "Council is highly conscious of the overwhelming public support for shared access at Station Beach and has acted honorably in recent time as it moves to have the signage reflect the needs and wants of the broader community. This latest setback flows from a level of scrutiny of Council processes that has likely never before been seen with respect to something as mundane as making public space accessible to the public (including those who have dogs)." Quote Mitch Geddes (If you want to buy this as a card, they are available at your newsagent - "Seaside Doggies") www.jennimurphy.com

02.01.2022 Geoff's puppy has a name: Cubby! Update from Marine - Cubby/Expenses: "Today I’ve sent a payment of $450 to Lisa, the lady who paid for the transport of Geoff's dog from Queensland to NSW.... She in turn has also paid the person who helped rescue Cubby from the jam he was in. There are more invoices to come as tomorrow Cubby will be at the vet getting all the care he needs. Thanx for your support." Marine What a great story. Here's Geoff with his previous doggy, Cleo. Thanx to Marine, Melissa and everyone on the frontline. And thank you, too, for all who have cheered this amazing little team on - whether or not you have been able to contribute financially.

01.01.2022 There was a bit of a "stink" on Avalon What's On about a dog pooing off-leash in the Angophora Reserve with some debate about whether dogs are allowed in there at all. As we recall, the Plan of Management makes clear that on-leash, on-path is OK, but we think Pittwater Council's Dog Policy 30 says no dogs at all. The process for settling the POM is far more robust and so the POM should prevail - also, a "Plan" generally outranks a "Policy". Here are a few other places where... you can now take your dogs, including Mackay Reserve, where the signs were amended recently - it too, is on leash, on path. - Restored rightful access to Clareville Beach Reserve for families with dogs. - Restored rightful access to Taylors Point Reserve for families with dogs. - Restored rightful access to Sandy Beach Reserve for families with dogs. - Restored rightful access to Snapperman Beach Reserve for families with dogs. - Restored rightful access to Pittwater Park for families with dogs. - Restored rightful access to Fairy Bower foreshore for families with dogs. - Restored rightful access to McKay Reserve for families with dogs. - Restored rightful access to south Avalon path to pool for families with dogs. - Restored rightful access to Warriewood lower carpark for families with dogs. - Restored rightful access to Newport Beach forecourt for families with dogs. - Restored rightful access to path by Palm Beach rockpool for families with dogs. - Restored rightful access to amenities block at North Narrabeen rockpool for families with dogs. So enjoy. Obey the rules and pick up after your dog.

01.01.2022 News from Melissa, who is minding the two little dogs until they are settled and healed. "So today Geoff came to my place to see his new best friend. It was a great success for both! He will have him once his vet work is done and he has settled a little more." Thank you Melissa and all involved in rescuing these two little dogs, you are all awesome. It's been quite a journey and we will wait for the next chapter of "Rescue Pups".