Barracluff Park Declared Timed Dog Off-Leash Park
Council is please to advise, as a result of community feedback on this project, Council has declared Barracluff Park as a timed dog off-leash park to be shared with sporting activities on the field.
Thank you to everyone who contributed feedback on the Barracluff Park Dog Management Options project. To find out more about feedback received please refer to the Council report and consultation findings summary in the Document Library.
NEW RULES now apply to the use of the park by dog owners, including:
- Dog off leash activities permitted between 3pm and 10am daily except on the sportsfield during organised sporting activities and community events.
- Dogs must be on leash at other times and during organised sporting activities and community events for the safety of other users of the park.
- Dog owners must not allow dogs to dig on the sportsfield surface to ensure the safety of all park users.
- Dog owners must follow all other rules as set out in the Companion Animals Act 1998 such as no dogs are permitted within 10m of the playground and community courts and owners must collect their dog droppings and dispose of them in the bins provided.
- Fines apply for breaches of the rules of use.
Thank you for your patience while Council completed park signage upgrades with the new rules above posted. You will now find Barracluff Park included on Council's website as a timed dog off-leash park on:
www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/residents/pets/offleash_parks.
The success of the off-leash park will rely on everyone doing the right thing, following the rules and respecting each other’s use of the space. Council will be monitoring the off-leash use of the park.
The Barracluff Park Dog Management Options project has now closed.
Meeting on 5 September 2023
Following a further briefing session with Councillors, a report was taken to Council on 5 September 2023.
Council resolved at the meeting as follows.
That Council:
1. Declares Barracluff Park to be a dog off-leash area between 3 pm and 10 am daily:
(a) Except when it has been hired or licensed for sporting activities and community events.
(b) Not including the playground and within 10 metres of the playground and community hardcourt area, in accordance with section 13(6) of the Companion Animals Act 1998.
2. Approves an upgrade to the sports field surface in 2023–24 bringing forward $695,150 currently allocated in the Long Term Financial Plan 6.1 in 2025–26, with a maintenance program to be developed to ensure co-location of uses.
3. Following the 2024–25 winter season, consults the community and sports clubs on the satisfaction of all users, and officers report back to Council.
Meeting on 1 November 2022
The community consultation outcomes were reported to Council on 1 November 2022.
Council endorsed the following motion at the meeting:
That Council defers consideration of this item until a councillor workshop and report back to Council for the purpose of discussing further options for usage of Barracluff Park.
The meeting agenda and minutes are available on the Council website.
Between 29 August and 26 September 2022 we collected feedback on four possible options for the management on dogs in Barracluff Park.
How feedback was collected
Feedback was collected via:
- An online survey
- Two Have Your Say days in Barracluff Park
- Sunday 4 September 2022, 9am–12pm near the play space
- Tuesday 13 September 2022, 4–6pm near the sportsfield
- An online information session on Thursday 15 September 2022, 6–7pm. Watch a recording of the session.
- Email to openspaceplanning@waverley.nsw.gov.au
- The North Bondi Precinct meeting held on Wednesday 21 September 2022 from 7pm
Community consultation outcomes
Overall, there were 5,360 engagements with the consultation process, including 426 responses to the survey, 60 participants across the three face to face sessions, 21 email submissions, and two briefings with identified stakeholder groups.
Across all channels of feedback, there was no clear preference for any of the four options outlined in the Feasibility Study. There was however general support for a timed off-leash arrangement to facilitate sport and continue off-leash dog use within the park.
86% of survey respondents supported the need for more off-leash dog areas in Bondi and there was strong support for the whole park to be made off-leash, with some suggesting the park be fenced to prevent dogs running out onto the road.
Read the consultation report.
The Feasibility Study explored five possible options for the management of dogs in Barracluff Park, of which four options were identified as viable. All options involve upgrading the sportsfield surface and in accordance with the Companion Animals Act 1998, dogs are prohibited within 10m of the play space (assistance dogs excepted).
Each option is described below and we've prepared a character board to give you an idea of what some of the park features could look like. Note: The fenced off-leash areas in the below options would be fit for purpose and involve drainage and/or surface upgrades deemed necessary.
Option 1
Upgrade the sportsfield surface and put a fence around it. Dogs permitted off-leash within the fenced area at certain times of the day.
Option 2
Upgrade the sportsfield surface and put a fence around it. Dogs are prohibited on the sportsfield at all times but are permitted off-leash in the surrounding park area.
Upgrade the sportsfield and provide a fenced off-leash area for dogs in Beach Road Reserve. Barracluff Park remains on-leash only and dogs are prohibited in the sportsfield at all times.
Upgrade the sportsfield and construct two fenced off-leash areas to cater for dogs of different sizes*. One in Beach Road Reserve for large dogs and one in Simpson Street Road Closure for small dogs. Barracluff Park remains on-leash only and dogs are prohibited on the sportsfield at all times.
