Bushwalking with dogs project puts more bark into South Coast state forests

Mac, a Shetland Sheepdog from Bateman's Bay, pictured during a forest walk.  (Supplied: Bushwalking with Dogs— South Coast )

As businesses, eateries and workspaces all embrace life with pets, one woman on the New South Wales Far South Coast is helping to increase access to scenic bushwalks for dog owners.

When Zoe Gallagher-Avery moved back to Bateman's Bay from Sydney last August and bought a Shetland Sheepdog named Mac, she noticed there was something missing from the region's diverse landscape — options for exploring the bush with Mac by her side.

"I found it really difficult to find bushwalks where we could both go," Ms Gallagher-Avery said.

Zoe Gallagher-Avery and her dog Mac enjoy bushwalks.  (Supplied: Bushwalking with Dogs — South Coast )

No stranger to unmarked fire trails, and "bush bashing", the intrepid Ms Gallagher-Avery decided to create her own dog-friendly walks.

"I often do a lot of bushwalks with my dad … it's been time consuming, but I've always loved being able to map things out," she said.

"Dad suggested that I bring Mac … [he explained that] state forests, unless specifically stated, are fine for dogs.

"That information didn't come up when I was trying to search for places to take my dog."

Mac during a walk through one of the South Coast's state forests. (Supplied: Bushwalking with Dogs — South Coast )

Sniffing out the best tracks

Using trial and error, Ms Gallagher-Avery explored the Benandarah, Mogo, Moruya and Bodalla state forests, covering an area from just north of Bateman's Bay down to Narooma on the edge of the Eurobodalla Shire.

With a handful of new trails at her fingertips, she said it wasn't a hard decision to start sharing her initiative with others in the region.

One of Zoe Gallagher-Avery's maps detailing the Wonky Loop track in the Moruya State Forest. (Supplied: Bushwalking with Dogs — South Coast )

Within less than 24 hours, her Bushwalking with Dogs — South Coast social media account was shared with multiple community groups, and gained a following of 500 people.

And with the region's popularity swelling during every the summer holidays, she said she hoped the information would encourage  tourists to explore alternative walking trails, and alleviate the pressure on more commonly known dog walks.

"You want to be solitary in the bush, so the more trails there are, the more chance that you won't run into each other."

A map detailing the Deep Creek Dam track in the Mogo State Forest.  (Supplied: Bushwalking with Dogs — South Coast )

Ms Gallagher-Avery said she hoped more community members would share their experiences and identify more dog-friendly trails throughout the region's state forests, with the aim of possibly creating a web page database for everyone to use.

"Ultimately it would be wise to put it up in a different form that's not bound to [social media]. Maybe a website or a blog that will come up when people Google 'south coast bushwalks for dogs'," she said.