Thank you to everybody who provided feedback on the Orana Bay dog off-leash exercise area.
During the six-week consultation we received over 900 pieces of feedback in total via the online survey, email submissions, community pop-ups and social media.
We heard that while there is strong support for keeping Orana Bay as a dog off-leash exercise area there is room for improvements to safety and amenity for all recreation users.
A What We Heard Report which summarises the key themes from the consultation is now available.
We will now explore areas for improvement at Orana Bay informed by community feedback. Any changes as a result of the review will be implemented on a trial basis, monitored and adjusted as required before being made permanent.
We asked you to have your say about the future of Orana Bay as a dog off-leash exercise area by completing the online survey.
We wanted to learn more about your experiences at Orana Bay and whether you were a local resident, dog owner or other recreation user of the area.
We held two pop-ups:
Canberra is a dog friendly city. There are lots of places to take your dog on-leash and off-leash to ensure they get regular exercise and socialisation.
Just remember to follow some simple rules when out and about with your four-legged best friend.
The ACT Government is undertaking a review of the suitability of Orana Bay in Yarralumla as a dog off-leash exercise area with the aim of achieving a balance that ensures sufficient space for dogs to exercise, while minimising conflict with other users of Orana Bay and protecting the environment and wildlife.
Orana Bay is a popular dog off-leash exercise area neighbouring Weston Park and the Yarralumla Dog Park. It is one of six off-leash swimming areas announced by the ACT Government in October 2019 to provide Canberrans with more options to safely exercise their dogs.
Due to its close proximity to the Yarralumla Dog Park, some people walk their dogs off-leash between the two locations, which poses a risk to pedestrians and cyclists as well as to the dogs themselves. Since Orana Bay was declared a dog exercise area, the ACT Government has also received complaints from local residents about off-leash dogs straying onto their property and harassing wildlife.
As a result of these ongoing issues, the ACT Government is undertaking a review of the suitability of Orana Bay as a dog off-leash exercise area.
The review will explore all options for the future use of Orana Bay, including keeping it as a dog off-leash exercise area, introducing time share arrangements which limit when dogs can be off-leash or changing it to a dog on-leash area.
As part of the review, there will be increased patrols by Domestic Animal Services rangers at Orana Bay to educate dog owners on their responsibilities and to increase compliance.
We know that many people (and their dogs) like going to the area to enjoy some off-leash exercise and swimming and that they keep their dogs under effective control.
The ACT Government is committed to best practice in how we manage pets in our community. Everyone in the community should feel comfortable and safe when exploring our beautiful city.
For more information on where you can exercise your dog on and off leash in the ACT visit the city services website and check out the online dog exercise area map.
Community feedback will help us identify areas for improvement and inform the future use of Orana Bay as a dog off-leash exercise area.
Any changes as a result of the review will be implemented on a trial basis, monitored and adjusted if required before being made permanent.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.
