Arabic version: تغييرات شواطئ الكلاب تثير مخاوف بشأن إمكانية الوصول في ساحل صنشاين

According to ABC News, Sunshine Coast Council’s revised dog access laws have prompted concerns that people with disability are being excluded from off-leash beach areas. The changes, which took effect on July 3, reduced the size and number of dog beaches across the region.

Elisa Wood said her 12-year-old daughter Sophie can no longer join family visits to the off-leash beach at Point Cartwright because it is accessible only by stairs. Sophie, who was born with polymicrogyria, is non-verbal and frequently requires a wheelchair. Ms Wood said navigating the steps or extended soft sand was not physically manageable for Sophie or the family.

There are no wheelchair-friendly off-leash dog beaches along the nearly 50 kilometres of coastline between Peregian Beach and Golden Beach. Mooloolaba, Alexandra Headland, Caloundra and Dicky Beach can support accessible access if equipment such as wheelchair matting is arranged with the local surf lifesaving club, but dogs are not permitted at those beaches.

The council said the policy was designed to balance dog exercise opportunities with community safety, shared use of public spaces and environmental protection. It said the process included a Human Rights Assessment and extensive consultation, including with disability organisation representatives. Council did not answer questions about providing disability access to a dog beach and said there was no intention to review the policy before a formal review in 2030.

Queenslanders with Disability Network deputy chief executive officer Paige Armstrong said environmental protection and accessibility did not have to be a trade-off, calling for a genuinely accessible pathway to at least one off-leash area. University of Queensland professor Richard Fuller said uncontrolled dogs were a major disturbance to migratory shorebirds, while controlled dogs had a much smaller impact.