Flatback Turtle Nesting | Habitat Protection - Dogs and Vehicles

The Town of Port Hedland is proposing to prohibit dogs and vehicles on certain beaches where turtle nesting occurs.

The restriction of vehicles will be permanent, while dogs will be prohibited only during turtle nesting season from November to March. Dogs on leash will be allowed throughout the remainder of the year.

Public consultation will be open until COB on 17 January 2025.

Submissions can be lodged in writing addressed to Environmental Services, Town of Port Hedland, PO Box 41, Port Hedland, WA, 6072 or via email to council@porthedland.wa.gov.au

Why this matters:

Between 2004-24, there have been 16,294 turtle nests recorded across three key nesting sites (Four Mile and Pretty Pool; Cemetery Beach; Spoilbank Eastern Reserve)
From this, only 8,948 hatchling emergence sites were observed, showing that even without human interference the chance of successful emergence is challenged
The 2023/24 nesting season recorded more than 850 nests and more than 650 hatching emergences across the three sites.

What are the risks?

Vehicles:

Off-road vehicles pose a significant threat to turtle populations. Traffic can compact the sand, making it difficult for female turtles to dig nests and lay eggs. Hatchlings are also at risk of being crushed by vehicles, while nests can be destroyed.
Off-road vehicles can cause light pollution with headlights disorienting turtles and leading them away from optimal nesting sites, or causing hatchlings to move towards roads instead of the ocean.

Dogs:

Dogs can pose a threat to turtle nesting sites both directly and indirectly.
One of the primary risks comes from a dog’s natural instinct to dig, which can disturb or destroy nests. Dogs allowed to freely roam on beaches can easily uncover and damage nests, leaving eggs exposed to predators if they are not directly broken by the dog.
Dogs can also pose a risk to hatchlings through predation.
Under current arrangement, dogs had been allowed on Cemetery Beach foreshore and Four Mile/Pretty Pool foreshores on leashes. In the past two seasons, the Town received frequent reports from turtle monitoring volunteers of unrestrained dogs on those beaches.
Prohibiting dogs on turtle nesting beaches during the nesting season will allow for a significant reduction to risks to nests as well as allowing for immediate compliance action to be taken against offenders.
Under the proposed prohibition, and in situations where dogs are permitted into or taken onto restricted areas, a $100 infringement notice may apply. This jumps to $300 if there is damage to flora or fauna caused by dogs being permitted into the restricted area.

What’s proposed:

Seasonal ban of dogs at turtle beaches:

This includes dogs on a leash
The prohibition of dogs in nesting areas will be lifted once the nesting season has finished
The ban will be in place from November to March

Four Mile and Pretty Pool Foreshore nesting habitat

Cemetery Beach Foreshore nesting habitat

How does this affect Spoilbank?

Banning driving on beaches:

This includes cars and off-road vehicles to be permanently banned from driving on beaches
Currently, vehicles are permitted on Port Hedland Spoilbank, however this prohibition will move the eastern reserve in line with other Town beaches. A portion of the Spoilbank (eastern foreshore) will become an area where vehicles are prohibited, with a variation to the mapping if the proposal is endorsed (Pictured below)
The restriction of access to this area will not stop recreational activities involving vehicles on the remainder of the Spoilbank reserve, but will prevent access to a small percentage of the total available landmass
Only a portion of the foreshore that forms the nesting habitat will be prohibited
Access to the northern portion of the Spoilbank reserve will remain unrestricted from the existing roads and trails at the back of Spoilbank, past the sea containers.
All other vehicles, including quadbikes will be banned from turtle-nesting beaches