The Andrews Labor Government has moved to protect and preserve Mornington Peninsula’s National Park by implementing a ban to dogs from 1 November 2016.
In 2013, Parks Victoria restricted dog walking to only 14.5km of the entire 42km national park coastline area, paired with increased dog prohibition.
Last year, Parks Victoria carried out review of dog access which resulted in additional compliance in the park as ongoing impacts to fauna and the Hooded Plover was clearly demonstrated.
Since further dog restrictions were introduced in 2013, Hooded Plover breeding has been markedly unsuccessful with only 5 chicks fledging from a total of 245 eggs during the 2 breading seasons.
Victoria’s park network plays a vitally important role in conserving nature, including providing habitats for ninety-one percent of the state’s 306 listed rare and threatened terrestrial animal species and ninety percent of Victoria’s 1,857 listed rare and threatened plant species.
Birdlife Australia monitoring data from the Mornington Peninsula National Parks show that 70% of Hooded Plover chicks were successfully fledged in areas where dogs are prohibited.
Parks Victoria will work with the community to implement the ban over the coming months leading in to summer.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Lisa Neville
"Even though restrictions were tightened in 2013, sadly we're still seeing a large number of people walking their dogs in ecologically sensitive areas where Hooded Plovers breed."
“The evidence shows that dogs and Hooded Plovers don’t mix. This ban is the right decision to protect a vulnerable and threatened species for which the Mornington Peninsula National Park is an important habitat.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020