Redhead Beach: evidence tags left on dog poo by mysterious patroller

The unknown poo patroller reportedly left about 50 to 100 evidence tags on dog faeces scattered across the sand on the popular shared beach.

The numbered tags list the suspect as "human" and the victim as "all species".

Local Donna Gould spotted the evidence tags while walking on Saturday morning on the track from Redhead duck pond to the beach.

"I've never seen anything like it," she said.

"They all said the same thing and were stuck in a pile of dog poo.

"They definitely have a point about the amount of people who don't pick up after their dogs in there, but it's an interesting way to make a point."

Ms Gould uses the track a couple of times a week. As the owner of two dogs herself, she said she's never had an issue with other owners.

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She said the track was heavily used by dog owners headed to the beach, with most of the dogs off-leash on the track.

"All the poo is off the track in the long grass, so [it's] not a huge issue for walkers, but once you start looking there is a lot of it," she said.

"I just suspect most dogs are off-leash and either the owners don't see them toilet in the bush or long grass, or they think it's OK given it's off the track."

A Lake Macquarie City Council spokesman said it hadn't been made aware of the tagging.

"Council does not condone the evidence tags, as they themselves can become a littering issue," he said.

"Members of the public are encouraged to call the council on 4921 0333 if they have any concerns about picking up after their dogs."

He said a search of council records showed there had been no recent complaints made about the issue, probably because pedestrian traffic was lower in public places during winter.

According to the spokesman, people not picking up after their pooches is an issue at many public reserves or designated dog exercise areas.

Community engagement as part of the council's Dogs in Open Space Strategy indicated that owners failing to pick up after their dogs was one of the main issues of concern for respondents.

The strategy is designed to better manage shared spaces between humans and their four-legged friends.

The 10-year plan put forward 10 new off-leash dog areas and removed the on-leash area at Redhead Beach.

Changes at Redhead were some of the most controversial, drawing numerous submissions from around the city against the proposal to remove the on-leash area.

It was designed to provide a "more appropriate" balance of beach use, eliminate conflict and open up a larger area of the beach for people without dogs.

Pooches were also excluded from the sand dunes off-leash in an effort to rehabilitate the beach.

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