For more local news and photos grab a copy of the Bay Post or Moruya Examiner.

The plan was outlined in council’s Recreation and Open Space Strategy. It said all animal-related activities would be moved to Moruya Showground, which would mean the Batemans Bay Pony Club would have to leave its current location at Surf Beach.

Batemans Bay Pony Club president Mark Waterworth said that would have a devastating effect on the 50-year-old club.

“It’d be the demise of our club,” Mr Waterworth said.

“We’d lose some of the kids to Milton and Mollymook, and others to Braidwood. I’m not saying people will give up horsing, but parents would have to look at more suitable arrangements for them.”

Council’s strategy and recreation planner Lane Tucker said the recreation strategy identified a population growth in Surf Beach and said additional recreational land would be needed to suit this growth.

“Land for recreation use is in short supply in the Surf Beach area and the reserve in question is currently only used by the pony club twice a month,” she said.

However, Mr Waterworth said there were many other community groups that used the space.

“It’s the only area in Surf Beach that is open space,” he said.

“The community as a whole utilises it far more. We use it probably about twice a month but some members go there on an afternoon and other weekend days. The Surf Beach Rural Fire Service uses it twice a week and the community use it for walking their dogs and playing football.”

Relocating the pony club would be considered a “high priority” if the recreation strategy is adopted, which would mean the club would be moved within five years, Ms Tucker said.

Council’s roads and recreation director Warren Sharpe said centralising horse activities in one location would mean council would be able to provide higher quality facilities.

“Council proposes to investigate the development of a dressage arena,” Mr Sharpe said, “and yards already exist at this location.”

However Mr Waterworth said the Moruya Showground didn’t have the correct facilities for a pony club.

“We’ve got to have a completely enclosed area for kids and horses, and Moruya Showground hasn’t got that,” he said.

“If we had a rally day and there’s a game of footy, where there’s scoring and tooting horns, the horses get spooked by sudden noises.”

However, Mr Sharpe said setting aside the showground for the pony club meant they would be able to separate animal activities from other sports.

Mr Waterworth said it didn’t make sense that Moruya would house both its own pony club as well as Batemans Bay’s.

“If you were looking at a pony club and looked up Batemans Bay and saw it was at Moruya Showground, you’d automatically join Moruya pony club wouldn’t you?” he said.