Byron Bay naturists flock to Tyagarah beach in northern NSW for nude rally

More than 150 naturists spent their Sunday sans clothes as they descended on a northern NSW nude beach near Byron Bay to fight its closure after a shock announcement. See the video.

First they closed Mt Warning – now, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service want to shut a beloved nude beach.

At the end of the narrow bush path to the pristine Tyagarah Beach near tourist mecca Byron Bay – an Oppenheimer-sized explosion of skin.

It’s a life drawing class en masse. More than 150 sun-kissed bodies of all shapes, sizes – and vintages – sprawled out along the 800m stretch of white sand. As naked as the day they were born.

They were there to fight a shock proposal to close the beach, which has been clothing-optional since 1998.

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service own the land and will take a request to revoke the beach’s clothing-optional status to council on Thursday.

But the passionate naturists who rallied at Tyagarah on Sunday, some from as far as Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, say they aren’t going to take it lying down.

Naturists have held a rally at Tyagarah Beach near Byron Bay on Sunday to save its clothing optional status. Picture: Sam Stolz

Byron Naturists Inc. president Bradley Benham launched a petition this month to save the beach. It now has over 2,600 signatures.

Mr Benham told NewsLocal the beach had previously faced a closure threat from Byron Shire Council in 2018, only to be allowed to remain open.

“Today we are about to lose our beach which the parks service say belongs to them and that council back in 1998 had no right to allocate it as a clothing-optional beach,” he said.

While the beach has previously come under fire for alleged assaults and safety issues, Mr Benham said they were “historical and likely isolated to a tea tree lake over 1km away”.

“That is not the clothes-optional beach here at Tyagarah,” he said.

More than 150 naturists took to the beach on Sunday to fight its closure. Picture: Sam Stolz

Mr Benham said he had been coming to the beach for “years”, on many occasions with his children.

“When people say it’s not safe to bring kids here it’s just not my experience at all,” he said.

Mr Benham said the announcement to close the beach was “shocking”.

“It hasn’t been an open and transparent conversation with the community at all,” he said.

“If it closes, the options for legal nude bathing in Byron Shire are absolutely none. It will be considered a criminal offence and the nearest nude beach is closer to Sydney.”

Croatian-born “lifelong naturist” Rudy Surina said nude bathing in his home country was “completely normal”.

Rudy Surina says he has been a naturist his whole life, and loves Tyagarah nude beach. Picture: Sam Stolz

He said the call to close the beach to naturists “seems kind of backward”.

“Conservatism is trying to prevail and it feels like we are going back to the 1950s,” he said.

Mr Surina, who has a tattoo on his back reading ‘Tyagarah Beach, Byron Bay’, said: “I think it’s ridiculous that in the 21st century in Australia and in a place like Byron Bay we need to hold a rally like this.

“I’ve been a naturist since the day I was born 56 years ago. I grew up in a nudist family.”

Among the campaigners was colourful Gold Coast artist ‘Pricasso’, who uses his penis to paint portraits.

Queensland Naturists Association’s Scott Rider drove south from Brisbane to attend the rally and said the announcement to close the beach was “devastating”.

Byron Naturists Inc. has over 1000 members. Picture: Sam Stolz

“I had my first date with my wife at this beach 13 years ago. This beach has a really special place in my heart,” he said.

“It seems like they want to close it for no reason. There’s no harm. For this to happen with zero consultation about three weeks ago is truly heartbreaking.”

Nude blogger Jessa O’Brien said Tyagarah was “the beach I always frequent” and “there’s such a strong sense of community here”.

Eddie Davey, 30, proudly holding his sign of protest. He says becoming a naturist changed his life. Picture: Sam Stolz

She questioned Parks’ motives when talking about safety concerns, saying “the fact that I can come here as a solo female and feel safe speaks volumes,” she said.

“Since there was a police crackdown on anti-social behaviour here and cameras installed near the carparks I’m seeing way more solo females here, groups of females and young families.”

Eddie Davey, 30, said he had only recently become a naturist and visits to Tyagarah Beach had “changed my life”.

‘Freedom’: Picture: Sam Stolz

“I started coming here just prior to the Covid-19 outbreak and as someone who has struggled with anxiety for most of my life, I can say this (being nude) has changed my life,” he said.

“It’s a big leap of faith to be comfortable in the skin you live in but once you do it, it’s very freeing.”

Parks and Wildlife will take the closure proposal to Byron Shire Council on Thursday.