At their October meeting in Port Fairy on Tuesday evening, councillors voted 4-3 in favour of horses returning to the beach.

Council will now have to convince the state government to back its plan, with Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D'Ambrosio, needing to sign off on it to set it in stone.

Mayor Jim Doukas put forward the motion to bring horses back and got support from councillors Mick Wolfe, Ian Smith and Daniel Meade.

Councillors Colin Ryan, Jill Parker and Jordan Lockett voted against the motion.

The decision comes after Moyne councillors voted in April to ban horses from Killarney Beach.

Cr Doukas' successful motion calls for members of the South West Owners, Trainers and Riders Association (SWOTRA) to have restricted, regulated and controlled access to the beach, from the boat ramp to 600 metres to the west.

The motion has 29 conditions, which includes a timeline for horses to access the beach.

Horses would be allowed on the beach from February 1 to December 15, excluding the Easter and Port Fairy Folk Festival weekends. They would only be allowed to walk, trot or canter between dawn and 10am and all horses and floats would have to be removed from the car park by 10.30am. A maximum of six horses would be permitted on the beach at any one time and four in the water.

Trainers would not be allowed to take their horses onto the soft sand and would be restricted to two horses each per day. Preference would be given to Moyne Shire rate-paying trainers with a $100 annual fee required.

Horses would not be allowed on the dunes and must not be within 20 metres of other beach users.

Breaching of the conditions would result in a written warning with a risk of a ban if further infringements occured.

Prior to the debate on the issue, four people addressed the council meeting.

Tower Hill hobby trainer Chris Ryan and SWOTRA member Tammy Good spoke in favour of horses returning to the beach.

Killarney resident Kate Sloan and Belfast Coastal Reserve Action Group member Bill Yates spoke against the motion.

*The 29 conditions for horse to return to Killarney Beach:

1. Trainers must be members of SWOTRA.

2. Training is only permitted on Killarney Beach from 1 February to 15 December, excluding Easter Weekend and Folk Festival long weekend holiday.

3. Horses are only to walk, trot and/or canter on beach between dawn and 10am daily.

4. Annual fee of $100 per permit to be paid by SWOTRA to Moyne Shire.

5. SWOTRA must provide Moyne Shire with details of trainers’ name, contact details and the number of horses intending to use the beach.

6. A daily log must be kept by trainers using the beach and made available upon request to Moyne officials.

7. Each trainer is permitted a maximum of two horses on the beach or in the water per day.

8. A maximum of six horses be permitted on the beach plus up to four horses in the water at any one time.

9. Horses must only walk, trot and/or canter at the water’s edge.

10. Horses are not permitted on the soft sand.

11. Permit must be displayed in trainers’ vehicle at all times.

12. All horses, floats and equipment are to be removed from the car park by 10:30am.

13. Access to the beach is only permitted via the boat ramp.

14. Horses must work in pairs, at a minimum of 50 metres between pairs.

15. Riders must produce a copy of the Permit authorising their use of the beach when requested by a Moyne Shire officer.

16. Horses are not permitted in the dunes under any circumstance.

17. Horses must be kept at least 20 metres from other beach users.

18. Riders must be courteous and respectful towards other beach users and avoid confrontation.

19. Horses must be under effective control at all times.

20. Horses must wear saddle cloths clearly identifying the relevant trainer.

21. Riders must wear approved Racing Victoria gear at all times.

22. Only trainers subject to this Permit, or their direct employees may be in control of horses at the car park or on the beach.

23. Any permit holder operating on the beach must maintain a public liability insurance policy to the value of $20 million (this is mandatory for all licensed trainers).

24. All manure must be removed from the car park, access track and beach, as well as excess urine being washed from car parks.

25. Horses are not to be tethered to public infrastructure including fences.

26. Any incident involving, horse, trainer, rider or the public is to be reported immediately to the Moyne Shire Co-ordinator Community Safety on 0428 000 355.

27. Breach of any of the above conditions will result in one written warning being issued to the permit holder. Any additional breach may result in the issue of an infringement and the permit being cancelled without further notice.

28. Permits will be issued with preference to rate-paying trainers based in the Moyne Shire.

29. Permit may be cancelled or conditions amended by the Council at any time under delegated authority.