Northern Rivers Naturists Inc on the looming fate of Tyagarah nude beach
A group of North Coast naturists hellbent on maintaining their suns out buns out lifestyle say they are feeling left in the dark over the fate of a contentious nude beach near Byron Bay.
NSW
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A contingent of North Coast naturists hellbent on maintaining their suns out buns out lifestyle say they are feeling left in the dark over the fate of a contentious clothing-optional beach near Byron Bay.
New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW NPWS) has had Tyagarah nude beach on the chopping block for months after it was due to close in April.
The 800m stretch of sand, 20 minutes north of alternative mecca Byron Bay, has been clothing-optional since 1998.
An extended consultation period till June 30 was supposed to allow the Northern Rivers Naturists Inc extra time to appeal to keep the beach open to those wanting to bare all.
The group’s president Bradley Benham told The Daily Telegraph on Friday that the parks service had not engaged with the group following initial discussions and that consultation time frames were “unrealistic”.
“We have presented our arguments for retaining the clothing optional beach at Tyagarah. NPWS has not yet followed up on that discussion so we are requesting an extension of the closure deadline (June 30) to allow more time for the consultation process,” he said.
A nude rally at the beach in February saw hundreds of naturists take to the dunes wearing nothing more than their hearts on their sleeves.
And showing they weren’t going to take the move lying down, more than 7000 people signed a petition to keep their hedonistic slice of paradise intact.
Days later the group, armed with posters of protest (nude is not lewd), stormed council chambers at Mullumbimby to demand an extension, with Mayor Michael Lyon saying the matter was now in the hands of the parks service.
Mr Benham said one two-hour workshop with the NPWS was not sufficient and there had been no further engagement with beach goers.
“There is significant public demand for a safe and legal nudist beach in the Byron Shire,” he said.
“The June deadline set by NPWS to close Tyagarah clothing-optional beach and find an alternative location was an unrealistic time frame to resolve such a complex issue.
“Byron Shire residents and visitors do not want to be deprived of a safe and legal space to exercise a basic freedom.”
A NSW NPWS spokesperson said along with Byron Shire Council it would continue to work with stakeholder groups about the future management of the clothing-optional area at Tyagarah Nature Reserve.
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Originally published as Northern Rivers Naturists Inc on the looming fate of Tyagarah nude beach
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