Little Congwong Beach
Gerald Ganglbauer
Thank you for your letter dated 19 June 2007. Minister Paul Lynch MP wrote
to us a letter with similar content on 10 May 2007.
It feels a little bit like the Minister is passing the buck, as our first
port of call was in fact NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service in a letter
dated 25 January 2002, with a follow up to the Minister for Tourism (and my
previous local MP) Sandra Nori in a letter dated 17 January 2005.
Sandra then referred us to Randwick City Council.
However, the Council Meeting on 22 November 2005 was NOT dealing with OUR
proposal, but with a complaint by a resident about lewd behaviour of members
of the gay community, who advertised and used the beach as a "gay beat". We
subsequently asked the LGBT community and the gay social club, which back
then was holding some events on the beach for their cooperation, and there
was not a single incident of lewd behaviour reported since then.
You see, this complaint was NOT about naturism! Our reaction was to convene
the action group and campaign for the free beach. We collected Hundreds of
signatures on a petition, which was "tabled at Council Meeting on 28
February, 2006, from Mr Gerald Ganglbauer, Convenor of the Free Beach Action
Group regarding nude bathing at Congwong Beach and Little Congwong Beach, La
Perouse. It was resolved that on the Motion of Councillor Belleli and
Councillor Notley-Smith that the tabled petition be received and noted."
(Quote from minutes)
Council HAS NOT formally replied to us since. They also ignored the very
favourable outcome of a public poll conducted by the "Southern Courier", the
leading local newspaper, giving us 92% support from the community.
The (former) Minister for the Environment and responsible for NPWS, who was
on record for being supportive of clothing optional beaches, then referred
us on to the (former) Minister for Local Government.
We would very much appreciate if you could raise our group's concerns with
the Councillors and the Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water,
as the Minister for Local Government suggests.
By the way, we do not propose "nudist" beaches (nudity compulsory), as this
would be old-fashioned and exclude large parts of the community, we propose
"clothing optional" or "free" beaches, open for everyone, as commonly
practised in most modern societies.
Yours sincerely
Gerald Ganglbauer
--
Free Beach Action NSW
http://www.freebeach.info
PO Box 522, Strawberry Hills NSW 2012
Free Beach Archive:
11/04/2007 Letter from Clover Moore MP to Minister Paul Lynch
10/05/2007 Letter from Minister Paul Lynch
19/06/2007 Letter from Clover Moore, Member for Sydney II
Gerald
We have sent a reply to the Minister for Local Government, and copied
Randwick City Council's General Manager. Clover has written on our
behalf to the Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water. Her
letter is now available in our Free Beach Archive:
01/08/2007 Letter from Clover Moore MP to Minister Koperberg
Freebeach Info
Local Randwick City Councillor Robert Belleli has just repeated his unjust
and false accusations against free beach visitors, 40 years of tradition,
and a peaceful community simply enjoying sun, sand and sea naturally.
Please see attached Southern Courier article.
We need Minister Koperberg on our side. Could you please follow up on your
letter dated 01/08/2007 and ask urgently for help against this undemocratic
councillor's private crusade against the naturist community.
We are good people and respected members of the community who have a right
to clothing-optional recreation in any civilised modern western society.
Randwick City Council has to stop this harassment.
Free Beach Info
Page 3 of Southern Courier, November 6 2007
Laury Desmond
Another bitter row has erupted over nude bathing at Little Congwong
Beach, with Liberal councillor Robert Belleli calling for State
Government intervention to put an end to "lewd behaviour of some
nudists" and enforce a ban on nude bathing.
Cr Belleli also said the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS)
should provide private security guards to patrol the beach.
"It's time for the NPWS to get serious and stop the buck-passing," he
said. "It's their beach; it's their responsibility to stop the nude
bathers and the unseemly behaviour that goes on down there. Residents
and families visiting the area have had enough."
Cr Belleli said Randwick Council had little jurisdiction in the area
and that police were overworked because of a lack of staff, so the
NPWS should "appoint and pay for private security guards to patrol the
beach".
But Free Beach Action Group convener Gerald Ganglbauer said that the
nudists were being penalised for the behaviour of others.
"This request is completely unreasonable; the beach has been used by
the nudists for over 40 years. Belleli is against the gay activity,
not against the nudists," Mr Ganglbauer said.
"Little Congwong is one of the most peaceful places in Sydney. It's a
little paradise -- clean and quiet, thanks to the nudists who look
after it," he said.
"We have been victimised for the last two to three years. The
differentiation must be made between gay activity on the beach and
nudist activity."
Eastern Beaches crime manager Detective Inspector Paul Pisanos said
police had received several complaints about sexual activity on the
beach.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Environment and Climate Change
said Cr Belleli had not put his request for security guards to them.
"It's unclear what he would like these guards to do," she said.
"Under the Local Government Act only council officers or police have
the power to act against nudity on beaches. We and the police have had
operations in the park and bush behind the beach."
She said a longer-term solution was needed and that stakeholders from
the police, council and area health service would meet in the next few
weeks to "put everything on the table".
"The councillor's suggestion can be addressed with everything else if
he'd like to provide more details."
[2 photos] Randwick councillor Robert Belleli (inset) has called for
private security guards to stop nude bathing at Little Congwong Beach
(above).
Pete
I don't know if this councillor Belleli has any more than one agenda, but he
seems to be grandstanding to me. The police are only going to be worried
about Little Congwong Beach if any inappropriate behaviour occurs, most
police are very tolerant and open minded until the the line is crossed so we
shouldn't get dug in against them (and they have much more important things
to do).
From my observations and readings this would appear to be limited once again
'gay' activity in the scrub beyond the beach itself. In early 2006 the NPWS
took a lot of time and expense to put up a vermin proof fence to keep people
off the scrub on the approaches to the beach and I think beyond as well,
this must surely be a sign they are on our side in trying to keep
undesirables away.
If 'Belly aching' Belleli is asking for the NPWS to provide security guards,
it must be an admission that his local government has little or no
jurisdiction on the beach.
We should continue to use the beach and encourage friends to do likewise.
The people of Randwick Local Government Area don't own any land owned by the
people of NSW such as our beach.
Pete
Freebeach Info
What a perfect weekend on our free beach it was. The sunshine lured many of
the regulars and a number of new skinny dippers to Little Congwong Beach and
no one seemed to worry about Councillor Belleli's problems with our clothing
optional status. Good to see such a display of solidarity and support for
naturism in its traditional environment.
Also good to welcoming so many visitors to our website, in spite of me not
having been able to hand out our cards lately to promote our action group.
18,000 (up from 10,000 visitors as of 1 June) dropped in for information
about naturism, thousands read the forum posts, and hundreds checked out the
new Free Beaches NSW Map.
Regards
Gerald
Gerald
Alexandria, NSW 1435 OR fax 9353 0983 OR email to
southerncou...@couriernews.com.au
Opinion
20.11.2007
How does the Free Beach
Action Group disobey the
law and go unpunished?
--- Gail Tring, Little Bay
Nudists not welcome
I find it very disturbing that your paper was prepared to print an
article (Courier, November 6) in which the Free Beach Action Group
convener, Gerald Ganglbauer, appears happy to boast of his group
commandeering a public beach for their own personal use as a nudist
beach. Their actions have stopped most people using the beautiful
beach, particularly families who do not wish to view public nudity.
In Australia people who knowingly break the law are supposed to be
prosecuted or fined for doing so, not given half a page of free
advertising in your paper.
The sign behind Councillor Belleli clearly reads that Congwong and
Little Congwong beaches are "not designated nude bathing beaches". How
do Mr Ganglbauer and his group knowingly disobey the law and manage
to remain unpunished?
Cr Belleli is correct to want these law breakers removed from the
beach and along with them those people they attract whose activities
in the surrounding bush are giving La Perouse a most unwanted
reputation.
The community is working to encourage tourists and visitors with
children to visit La Perouse and see the beauty and history of the
area. One can only imagine how unpleasant it must be for those with
children to be admiring the beauty of the national park one minute and
the next be confronted by nudists and other exhibitionists.
The nudists come to the national park beach because there is no
enforcement of the law to remove them. Security guards and park
rangers should be given powers to uphold the law by removing or fining
these law breakers.
If they were driving over the speed limit when leaving La Perouse the
police would stop and fine them. Yet this Free Beach Action Group can
for hours a day flout the law at a public beach and expect never to be
punished. That is morally wrong as well as being illegal.
This is a situation residents and visitors to the area want to see
rectified ... now.
Gail Tring
Little Bay
Freebeach Info
Well, we're not breaking the law. Naturism has a longstanding tradition in
La Perouse. Council has simply not yet reflected what the majority of beach
users want, and acted by granting the area clothing optional status, which
is a lawful public resource in every civilised nation.
It is beyond question that naturism is a healthy lifestyle and accepted in
countries of the western world for 100+ years, and also in New South Wales.
Already Europeans are quite bemused about the backward views and "morals" of
some members of Australian society regarding saunas and skinny-dipping.
Sydney is an international city and has to cater for Millions of naturists
and their families and children, locals and visitors alike. One traditional
and three designated tiny free beaches are hardly representative of around
30% of Sydneysiders who are not bothered by skinny-dipping.
Naturists are a major stakeholder in the area and we hope that Cr Belleli
and the handful of opposing residents will cooperate with NSW National Parks
and Wildlife Service, State Government, and the rest of the local and
international naturist community for a modern, peaceful La Perouse.
Regards
Gerald Ganglbauer
Sydney
Gerald
11.12.2007
Time for action on nudists
I WASN'T going to reply to Gerald's letter (December 4). I was going
to leave it to the community as they are requesting for illegal sexual
activities at Botany Bay National Park to stop.
I'm just their councillor. But I think Gerald has confirmed the
community support in stopping activities.
Gerald goes on to say that "30 per cent of Sydneysiders are not
bothered by skinny-dipping". I guess he meant that 70 per cent are
bothered by it. How many residents and visitors would be bothered
about sexual
activities near children in the bushes behind a beach that everybody
knows have been going on for years?
Even Gerald admitted in a previous letter that illegal activity is
going on around this location. I bet a majority would like this
stopped. Somebody has to stand up for decent folks.
I'm not scared of getting criticised for protecting people. I'm
getting complaints every week and people say families have been
harassed and are frightened to use the beach. I have a duty to try and
do something.
Gerald can help me or he continue to criticise locals and families.
La Perouse is a historical destination. In summer Congwong is
overflowing to Little Congwong, which is not a secret as it was. You
can see naked people in the bushes from the snake man pit that
thousands of visitors and families visit each week.
With free parking and Randwick Council's upgrade and the opening of
the M5 motorway, La Perouse is more and more a destination of
tourists, as well as the birthplace of this nation. Imagine how much
the activities are hurting our city's reputation.
Is the south ward of Randwick going to continue to be a dumping ground
for waste, crime, hooligans, breakins, and illegal sexual activities?
Let's clean up the area together for all of us to be proud of. Why
should a selfish few hold our community to ransom? They can practice
their sexual acts behind close doors or on coastlines far from
residential areas.
Please use legal nude beaches away from populated and tourist areas.
The state authorities needs to find a short-term and long-term
solution and the community and I are having meetings to sort this
out.
If this activity continues it will start to spread through Little Bay,
Malabar, to South Maroubra Beach. I believe it has already on
occasions.
We have to draw a line in the sand before it spreads when word gets
around that the authorities are doing nothing.
Nobody has claim to that beach except law-abiding citizens. Be decent
people, respect the wishes of the majority. The law is there to
protect us and people should not be putting a blind eye because it's
too hard.
If the authorities say they don't get any complaints it's because
people have given up in complaining as the authorities don't do
anything. That's why people like Gerald make their own title claim on
the beach. You don't own that public beach.
We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Families need not to be
exposed to this. The community will not stand for it. And I will not
either.
Councillor Robert Belleli
Randwick City Council
www.freebeach.info
Councillor Robert Belleli wrote in his letter (December 11): "Somebody has
to stand up for decent folks."
Yes, Robert, somebody has to stop the "waste, crime, hooligans, break-ins,
and illegal sexual activities" allegedly "dumped" on La Perouse - and that's
us, the decent naturists, who not only keep Little Congwong Beach clean, but
also family-friendly. To suggest that naturists practice sexual acts there
is an insult, which deserves your apology. If it wasn't for us law-abiding
good citizens - and we are also a part of the local community - there would
be Sodom and Gomorrah. What do you reckon, Robert?
If, according to surveys, a third of the community enjoys nude recreation,
than provide a third of the beaches with clothing optional areas. How many
percent of the local beaches does Little Congwong Beach represent? I wonder
why Randwick City Council always refuses to undertake its own survey as I
again suggested last week in a personal conversation with your Mayor.
Perhaps you are afraid that the truth might come out that Randwick residents
are in fact a modern society, and embrace internationally accepted clothes
free recreation at a perfectly suitable location?
Regards
Gerald Ganglbauer
Jo Mulholland
totally agree that it is NOT the naturists hoping to relax on Little
Congwong Beach, ( which has been used as an unofficial beach for so
many years ), who want these illegal activities to go on behind this
beach.
In fact, naturists want assistance in ridding bushes behind any
beaches of such activities. Although, making that last assertion, it
is, of course, the case that naturists represent a cross-section of
the community.
Reading back over the letters which have been published here, I now am
concerned that readers of the Southern Courier, will unfortunately
lose sight of the 'ball' (i.e., the need to rid that area of illegal
activity) and watch 'the players', instead, like kids, in the
playground, going: "Fight! Fight! Fight!", until the teacher-on-duy
arrives with the cane.
We are in agreement regarding the community's attitude to legal nude
bathing. We know, in addition to the research that you quoted, that a
survey, undertaken by Bob Reed and his 'helpers', some time ago,
involving 5000 residents of the Manly area, resulted in a 10% response
(which is said to be typical) and 92.6% of respondents indicating that
they had no problem with nudity on 'designated beaches'.
Would it be possible to leave that particular councillor out of
letters to the editor and addressing the issues, as they arise?
On a related topic: I am so pleased that you took the opportunity to
enter Little Congwong in the Keep Australia Beautiful Clean Beach
Challenge. Not since the Free Beach Association of NSW successfully
entered Cobblers Beach, in that competition, in the Friendliest Beach,
division.Thus being assessed to be Sydney's Friendliest Beach that
year, has a beach, used by naturists, been nominated.
On a personal note:* For the second time in six years, I have missed
out on attending the Keep Australia Beautiful, Clean Beach Challenge
(NSW) state award ceremonies. A typical health problem ( stress, age,
circumstances) prevented me from going to Darling Harbour that early,
in the morning. (Once again I have received my certificate by mail.)
It is amusing to note that mail addressed to me by the Keep Australia
Beautiful organisation still comes, addressed to my name, followed by
Free Beach Association of NSW. Even though the FBA of NSW ceased to
exist a few years ago.
My interest in and love for beaches (I'm so glad my parents migrated!)
had brought me into contact via the FBAofNSW, with the competition.
It must be made clear that Keep Australia Beautiful does not promote
naturism. Nor does it condemn it. These competitions are not about
what people wear, or don't ear but about keeping the environment
beautiful. ( I don't look any pretier, in bathing costumes!!)
As an assessor, I have twice been pleased to report to the committee
which decides who's rewarded, that I found North Smoky Beach a most
attractive beach. In spite of having to give way to a snake, on the
path, on the way down, I was impressed with the facilities near the
beach, the cleanliness and the beautiful surroundings. ( The pathway
down reminds my of the one down to Werrong but so VERY much better and
more attractive. (I met a couple with a stroller, going down.)
If Cobblers Beach could be assessed to be the friendliest Sydney
beach, there should be no reason why Little Congwong cannot be. I used
to visit that area in 1956. It's such an interesting, diverse
location!! Let's concentrate on the beach!
I will be in my car and on my way, the day that the pathway to Little
Congwong, has a sign, indicating that Nude Bathers Use This Beach, put
there by the appropriate authorities. As was indicated by the
coucillor, the M5 is now such a good way to get there. MUCH less
complicated and annoying than the route, from my place, to Middle
Head!
Jo
( * Slightly stronger medication, less use of the legal drugs
(caffeine, drinks with dinner) more walking, should fix the problem. )
On Dec 14, 5:49 pm, "www.freebeach.info" <freebe...@gangart.com>
wrote:
Gerald
By Nick Moncrieff-Hill
Southern Courier
18.12.2007
BATTLE lines have again been drawn in the sand over the issue of nude
bathing at Little Congwong beach and sexual activity in the adjoining
Botany Bay National Park.
The stalemate over the issue has dragged on for several years, but the
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) said it was "endeavouring
to come up with a plan to address the issues".
NPWS Sydney region manager Gary Dunnett said a steering group had been
formed with the local police, councillors and La Perouse precinct
members after Randwick councillor Robert Belleli claimed he had proof
that sexual activities in the National Park had been "going on for
years unregulated".
Cr Belleli said he discovered advertising on the internet in personal
postings that encouraged people to meet nude men on the beach and
engage in sexual activity in the bushes of Botany Bay National Park.
"Families, visitors, locals, as well as children bushwalking, are
exposed to these illegal sexual acts in a public place," he said.
"This problem is not going away unless the law is enforced on a
regular basis, and families can feel comfortable to return to enjoy
the area without being shocked or put in danger."
Mr Dunnett said the NPWS did not support or endorse illegal behaviour
anywhere.
"We are more than aware that many sections of the community are
concerned about nude bathing at Little Congwong beach, as well as the
reported incidents of indecent behaviour in the bushland," he said.
"It is an offence under the Local Government Act for people to bath
unclothed at Little Congwong, and unclad bathers can be subject to
action by council or police -- the authorised enforcement officers
under the Local Government Act."
The convenor of the Free Beach Action Group, Gerald Ganglbauer, said
he had been visiting Little Congwong beach for the past 12 years and
"was not aware of any sexual activity there". "I think it is just a
lot of fabricated stories going on."
http://digitaledition.southerncourier.com.au/
Gerald
No nudity at Congwong
Letters, 18.12.2007
IN response to Mr Ganglbauer and the Free Beach Association (Courier,
December 4), Little Congwong beach is not a designated clothing
optional beach under the Local Government Act. The only beaches near
Sydney where nudity is permitted are Lady Bay, Cobblers and Obelisk
beaches on Sydney Harbour and Birdie Beach and Werrong Beaches to the
north and south of Sydney, respectively.
In contrast to these five beaches, all normal beach rules apply at
Little Congwong. It is an offence under the Local Government Act for
people to bath unclothed at Little Congwong and unclad bathers can be
subject to action by council or police, the authorised enforcement
of the community are concerned about nude bathing at Little Congwong
beach, as well as the reported incidents of indecent behaviour in the
authorities and the community to resolve these issues.
Gary Dunnett
Manager, Sydney Region
www.freebeach.info
IN response to Mr Dunnett, Manager, Sydney Region, National Parks and
Wildlife Service (Courier, December 18), I am shocked to learn that a gay
beat still exists, even after two years of pleading with the gay community
to respect Little Congwong as a family-friendly free beach. Needless to say
that these people are NOT part of a decent genuine naturist community or,
for that matter, part of the decent gay community! It is of utmost
importance to draw this "line in the sand" between nude recreation and sex
so that residents AND skinny-dippers feel safe.
Naturists peacefully enjoyed the beach during sunshine hours for forty years
and I was completely unaware of what might or might not go on at our back in
the bush or at night, after we were leaving the beach. Perhaps one needs to
go looking to find it. I would not know. The rumours seemed fabricated to
me. To be clear: Naturists condemn sexual activities anywhere in public view
and we support action against posters of such sex ads as Cr Belleli got his
hands on. The internet is transparent enough to catch those people.
We are fully aware that the beach is not a designated clothing optional
beach under the Local Government Act. To lobby to change this is the sole
reason for our action group's existence. The other free beaches are neither
large enough to cope with increasing demand, nor near enough to be
accessible by the local community and/or on public transport. For this and
many other good reasons outlined in our correspondence with government, we
need Little Congwong, a beach with a long tradition of unclad bathing, no
one has a problem with per se.
Clover Moore MP has written on our behalf to the Minister for Climate
Change, Environment and Water. We're awaiting Minister Koperberg's response
in due time.
However, if we wouldn't be ambushed by those misusing our beloved stretch of
sand, it would have its designated clothing optional status already. Please
let me assure you that our group gladly cooperates in stopping any alleged
sexual activity or indecent behaviour and recommend Cr Belleli to forward
these sex ads to the police so that we get rid of the gay beat.
I am also sure that all stakeholders are fully aware that simply banning
nude bathing is not going to stop single men in Speedos to keep doing what
they allegedly were doing all these years. At least having us there keeps
the beach family-friendly before sunset. Our vigilance and peer pressure
work in favour of a solution to the problem.
Merry Christmas