[freebeach:409] First Little Congwong, Now Obelisk and Cobblers (and Lady Jane)

[Richard Spacer]

A strong united naturist response is needed as now the desire among some in Greater Sydney to stop clothing-optional bathing at Little Congwong has spread to Obelisk and Cobblers. I also heard a Woolahra Council member express the desire to close Lady Jane Beach to nudity. In all 4 cases wandering, cruising, pervert males looking for public sex are blamed as the problem. What to do? Has the successor group to the Free Beach Association of NSW the Free Beaches Australia shown ANY initiative in this regard? Whether they do or not it is up to the local naturists using the Sydney beaches to respond. I have mentioned this before in the SE Queensland forum, but the model solution for naturist care of their beaches is a beach ambassador program. The South Florida Free Beaches at Haulover Beach, Miami USA started this. Members of the naturist group wear a distinctive hat and during the day walk the beach making sure no predation or sexual activity takes place. If a lady, for example, feels uncomfortable about a male for some reason, she can approach the beach ambassador to explain the situation. If the male is clearly doing something wrong, the ambassador tells him to leave the beach. If he refuses, the police are summoned and he is arrested. The naturists make sure they and the lady attend court to press the charges, otherwise the matter is dismissed. The police love it as they can focus on more pressing issues, as they know the beach is looked after by responsible users.    I was at all of the beaches under threat in 2005. I can say that in March-April 2005 Little Congwong 90%+ male and lots of looking and walking endlessly back and forth instead of minding their own business and sunbathing. Many days Lady Jane was the same, but as it is in guidebooks, it also gets international tourists. When I went to Obelisk to have a look there were 19 males and one female. Cobblers was mixed gender pretty much 60/40 or 70/30 male to female. So I understand what the Mossman lady is saying. A couple of these beaches really have evolved into gay male meeting spots, but it is up to naturists to maintain the BEHAVIOR standards so that all, gays, straights, families, feel comfortable at their day at the naturist beach. It is rude to stare at anyone or invade a strangers privacy, and sex is for the bedroom. This is all common sense. We need to stand up and enforce common sense since some/many seem not to have it themselves. The alternative is political pressure will revoke your beaches, like with Reef Beach, which was a legal nude beach. Attend your beaches. Be visible. Stand up and stop these people ffrom threatening your beaches   Richard Spacer frequent traveller to Australia President, Kauai Naturists

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[Nuderun Nuderun]

Similar situations unfortunately have resulted in the closure of many nude
beaches here in the United States. In many cases it's been a fabricated
issue used for the sole purpose of getting ride of the nudists. You guys
need a huge turnout of nude beach supporters and a formal written plan to
police your own nude beaches to control unwanted behavior to show that
you're serious in resolving the situation supposedly causing all of the
uproar.

[Frank Maundrell]

Well written Richard, congratulations!

What you say is correct in every detail. You reflect exactly the position
advocated through Sun and Health in particular.

I am certain that the current flurry of anti-nudist activity is
prepositioning by those opposed to us in readiness for the coming State
election. The Sydney Harbour beaches (Obelisk, Cobblers and Lady Bay
[Jane!]) are all written into State legislation via the Local Government
Amendment Act (Nude Bathing). Local Councils do NOT have any power
whatsoever to rescind the law which has established them as nude beaches.
However, passage of the Act was opposed by the present Opposition.

IF, as currently seems likely, there is a change of Government at the next
election, it is highly likely a Coalition Government would move to withdraw
the legal right to bathe naked at these beaches, along with Werrong and
Samurai. Little Congwong was never in the legislation - unfortunately!

I do not believe naturists hold sufficient electoral power to influence an
election result and I know many naturists would vote for the coalition
anyway!

I am not seeking to politicise naturism. The issue is already political!
If you wish to vote in your own interests as a naturist, your course is
obvious. At the very least, you should ascertain your preferred candidate's
attitude to the issue prior to voting! It is pertinent that, given a free
vote on the matter, many ALP members would also oppose us!

Richard's main point remains our most critical weapon of defence, i.e. it is
the responsibility of each and every user of a nude beach to act in a
squeaky clean manner. Offensive behaviour will inevitably lead to
restrictions on our freedom, whether we like it or not.

Frank Maundrell

[Chris Mansergh]

You know as I read all these emails from people worrying about our nude
beaches being revoked, I have to smile :-) because it doesn't even matter if
they ban nude bathing on our beaches - I know we are all just gonna go on
nude bathing there anyway and we are all gonna just say "*uck you" to the
Police. Just as we have been doing for decades at Little Congwong Beach,
which has never ever been a legal nude beach anyway, but nevertheless is one
of the most popular nude beaches in Australia, and always will be!
I am personally looking forward to taking part in the acts of mass civil
disobedience which will follow any ban on nude bathing on our beaches!
Chris

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From: "Frank Maundrell" <fma...@ozemail.com.au>
Sent: Friday, May 07, 2010 11:03 AM
To: <free...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [freebeach:412] First Little Congwong, Now Obelisk and Cobblers
(and Lady Jane)

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[Frank Maundrell]

Brave words, Chris, but history is not on your side. Look at Reef Beach,
for example!

It would be a serious mistake to be complacent about the situation.

Frank Maundrell


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[www.freebeach.info]

Published today on our website, http://www.freebeach.info/
Article by Fergus Grieve in the UTS Press... "Nude Beaches in Sydney"

Cheers
Gerald