Alexandria Bay nudist beach police operation begins

Police are cracking down on bare-bummed beachgoers at what has long been regarded as Noosa’s unofficial nudist beach after a rise in complaints and indecent act allegations.

Police are cracking down on nude beachgoers at a secluded Noosa beach after a rise in complaints and indecent act allegations, reigniting an age old debate among locals.

Police are cracking down on nudists at a secluded Noosa beach after a rise in complaints and allegations of indecent acts being committed.

Alexandria Bay, locally known as A Bay, at Noosa Heads has long been regarded as an unofficial nudist beach but increasing complaints to police and Queensland Parks and Wildlife has led to a police operation targeting nude beach goers.

Sunshine Coast Superintendent Craig Hawkins said this started on the weekend of April 15, where 11 people were fined for wilful exposure.

Another person was fined during a blitz on April 20 where a man was also charged with committing an indecent act, he said.

The man was alleged to be in the process of “self-gratifying” near a young woman on the beach.

Alexandria Bay in Noosa Heads has attracted nudists for decades like these people pictured at the start of International Nudist Week in 1997.

Superintendent Hawkins said Alexandria Bay is part of a popular hiking trail in the national park and a tourist location.

“Tourists, families and children should not be subject to this behaviour,” he said.

Sunshine Coast District Superintendent Craig Hawkins says police are cracking down on nudists at Alexandria Bay following an increase in complaints. Picture: Sam Turner

Superintendent Hawkins said there was no such thing as a nudist beach in Queensland because public nudity is illegal in the state.

QPWS would put up signs to discourage nudity at the beach, he said.

“If people wish to sunbake nude, those activities should be done in a private location, at your home where you cannot be seen by others,” he said.

Long history of nudity

Hiker and long-time Noosa resident Jane Langley told the Sunshine Coast Daily on Sunday she had “mixed feelings” about the situation.

“The nudies have been here for years, they can have their space (on the beach) … but at times I’ve felt uncomfortable with men going up and staring at people,” she said.

“If there was a way for them to (sunbathe nude) safely, that would be good.”

Fears of arrests in 2017 meant Noosa lost the Nude Olympics after six decades of staging the event at Alexandria Bay.

The Nude Olympics at Alexandria Bay.

The president of the Australian Naturist Federation at the time, Greg Serow, estimated the loss of the event cost the Noosa economy between $4m and $6m.

In 2016, a protest over arrests at Alexandria Bay attracted members of the Australian Sex Party among others who were venting their frustrations at the police crackdown.

Vanessa Phillips of the Australian Sex Party was part of a 2016 protest sparked by arrests of nudists at Alexandria Bay. Photo: Claudia Baxter

There was a call at the time to legalise nudity at the bathing area.

Community discussion needed

Independent Noosa MP Sandy Bolton said a community discussion needed to be had about the future of the beach.

She condemned the inappropriate acts of some beach goers causing issues for those trying to be discreet.

“It’s always really hard when the bad behaviour … spoils it for others,” she said.

A previously suggested alternative was to make Alexandria Bay a “clothing optional” beach, but Ms Bolton said the government had reported this gave way to an increased risk of inappropriate behaviour and had attracted “the wrong types” of people.

MP Sandy Bolton says community discussion about nudity at Alexandria Bay needed to occur. Picture: Liam Kidston

“That’s not what we want to have happen here … it’s just totally wrong,” she said.

Australian Naturist Federation Queensland representative Josh Smith said Queensland and Tasmania were the only two states without a nude beach.

The federation represents nudists across Australia.

Mr Smith said Alexandria Bay was not the best option for an “unclad” beach because of the public access along the hiking trail.

“I feel it’s probably not the best beach to have an unclothed beach because of that public perspective,” Mr Smith said.

He said the distinction needed to be made between nudity and “lewd acts” that were performed at nude and not nude beaches.

“Unfortunately for the general public naturism is sexualised but it’s not, it’s about doing things in the nude rather than doing things clad,” Mr Smith said.

“Until we start normalising nudity and desexualising it, we’re not going to get nude beaches in Queensland.”

He said it would take a lot of research to find a beach that could become a nude beach in Queensland.

“I don’t know the full answer, it’s a massive debate,” Mr Smith said.