Sunnyside North: ‘Glossy propaganda’ to convince locals nude beach is a threat
Naturists say the fight to save Melbourne’s last nude beach has turned nasty. Here’s how.
South East
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The battle to save Melbourne’s last nude beach has turned nasty as Mornington Peninsula households are flooded with “glossy propaganda” against the “seedy” site.
A Mount Eliza and Mornington Community Newsletter was delivered to Mornington and Mount Eliza as the local council surveyed residents and visitors to help decide the future of Sunnyside North.
Naturists said the four page brochure was a “hate campaign” designed to generate fear and convince locals to ask the council to strip the beach of its nude status.
Olivia Ebner said the newsletter, which claimed the beach was not safe for children and encouraged lewd behaviour, was “deceptive and misleading”.
“I find it extremely disturbing a local resident can and has put the financial backing and effort to bring discrimination as hatred against the naturist community of Sunnyside North Beach,” Ms Ebner said.
“It would have cost up to $15,000 to print and distribute this material … and it’s anonymous so the claims can’t be verified.”
The Seaford naturist, who gained a medical exemption to visit Sunnyside North during the Covid lockdowns, said the small and secluded nude beach was not a threat.
“The community that visit the beach are like family,” she said.
“Everyone knows each other, we all have our own place in the sand.”
She said any anti-social behaviour in the area was “no different to what happens at any other beach or public toilet block”.
Naturists have also questioned the intent of the council survey after signs promoting it at Sunnyside North Beach carried the wrong closing date.
The signs stated the survey closed on April 7 instead of April 21.
Keep Sunnyside Clothing Optional lobby group said the “incompetence” had led to many supporters not filling out the survey because they thought it had closed.
The survey results will be used to help the council decide on the next step for the beach but the Planning Minister Richard Wynne has the final say on its status.
A State Government spokesperson said any decision to revoke the clothing optional status at Sunnyside North Beach would be made in consultation with the council and community “to ensure the best and most appropriate outcome”.
Liberal candidate for Mornington Chris Crewther also wanted to listen to the community and would be guided by the survey results.
However, he said while most beach users were law-abiding there had been “genuine reports of some apparent anti-social activity around the beach from a minority of users”.
“If it’s not being properly policed, that is a failure of the State Government,” Mr Crewther said.
Meanwhile, a council on the opposite side of the bay has expressed concerns over its nude beaches being inundated should Sunnyside North close.
Surf Coast Shire has warned that should the Mt Eliza beach lose its clothing options status it would look at taking action to ensure an influx of nudists did not create problems at Torquay and Bells Beach.
There are two nude beaches on the Surf Coast – Point Impossible in Torquay and Southside Beach near Bells.