Attempting to clarify rules about dogs on Jimmys Beach Myall Coast Myall Coast - popup ad Myall Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - June 14, 2023 A close-up image of the old Great Lakes Council map, still used on current Council webpages, requires close attention to see the ‘On-Leash’ green zone actually starts 300m east of Reflections Holiday Park (red arrow). CONFUSION dogs the rules about dogs along Jimmys Beach, one of several local issues addressed at the recent MidCoast Council ‘Community Conversations’ in Hawks Nest Community Hall on Tuesday, 6 June. News Of The Area has conducted an investigation into all publicly available material, in an attempt to explain the current regulations. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au According to the physical signs clearly posted along ‘Day Area’ and other accessways, directly across from Reflections Jimmys Beach Holiday Park, the message is clear: “Dogs Prohibited”. A dated printout of a Great Lakes Council (GLC) notification on Reflections’ front office colour-codes green for ‘Off-leash areas – Dawn till Dusk’, yellow ‘On-leash areas – Dawn till Dusk’, and ‘Dogs Prohibited’ red zones. The grainy satellite imagery, however, requires close inspection to understand that the ‘green zone’ actually starts 300m east of the point where the 4WD track enters the beach from the isthmus bush. Therefore, dogs are not allowed anywhere directly adjacent to Reflections, not for at least a few hundred metres towards Yaccaba. The presently available map is branded with ‘Great Lakes Council’, compounding the confusion because GLC ceased to exist after the forced amalgamation of local councils back in 2016 stuck it inside MidCoast Council, but no MidCoast Council update exists. MidCoast Council’s ‘Dogs in public spaces’ webpage states, “Dogs can be walked on leads only between 5am-9am and 5pm-8pm on the following beaches,” with Bennetts Beach and Yaccaba mentioned in the list, but Jimmys is conspicuously absent. “Our understanding is that dogs are not allowed the full length of the beach,” Richard Streamer, of the Myall Koala & Envinronment Group, reflected this common perception at the June Community Conversations meeting. “We offer Council’s information to any guests who ask, and often pull up any who have their dogs unleashed in off-limits areas inside the Holiday Park itself,” Peter Creigh, Manager at Reflections Jimmys Beach, told NOTA. “We have not seen a Council Ranger for a long while,” Mr Creigh added, noting Council’s responsibility to enforce dog rules along Jimmys Beach. By Thomas O’KEEFE Jimmys Beach ‘Day Area’ access sign immediately across from Reflections, clearly states “Dogs Prohibited”, with no exceptions detailed. Jimmys Beach access further down Winda Woppa, near Jacabba Street, also clearly states “Dogs Prohibited”.
