New signs informing beachgoers ‘To consider whether you need to drive on this beach’, and to ‘Keep dogs under control’, have been erected at beaches in The Catlins. This latest development is thanks to many passionate community members imploring the Clutha District Council to install these signs before Christmas 2022. Thank you!
It is so important to have these educational signs installed at beaches, because between December and February endangered New Zealand sea lions/pakake are breeding. During these months, the cows are especially vulnerable to bulls and human interference, such as racing your vehicles along the beaches. Once the precious eight-to-twelve-kilogram pups are born, they are gathered into groups while their mums are out at sea foraging. Then they are weaned at approximately ten months old.
On the 1st of January 2023, the ‘Vehicles on Beaches Bylaw’ comes into effect in the Clutha Region. This means you cannot legally drive your vehicles on sand dunes or above the high tide mark – unless you are accessing the beach or launching/retrieving a boat. It is also stated you are “Required to drive in a way that does not threaten the safety of people, plants or native animals.”
Many of us recommend demonstrating this by parking your vehicles in the carparks and racing along the beaches on foot, while always giving pakake ten meters space. When not at the beach, race your vehicles on designated race tracks.
How cool is it that we as kaitiaki (guardians) of pakake are given the opportunity to care for them, by giving them their space, and not driving on beaches?