Surf Coast avoids nudist influx after Peninsula council backs down on stripped Victoria’s only other nudist beach of its status
The Surf Coast has avoided a nudist influx, after a Peninsula Council backed down from stripping a Mt Eliza beach of its designation of Victoria’s only other ‘clothing optional’ beach.
Geelong
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The Surf Coast has narrowly avoided an influx of nudists, after Mornington Peninsula Council backed down from stripping a Mt Eliza beach of its designation as Victoria’s only other ‘clothing optional’ beach.
But one Surf Coast councillor has said there still needs to be a greater buffer zone – or a “no man’s land” – between Torquay’s ‘Nudies’ beach and clothed areas, after her own run-in with a nudist “intentionally exhibiting” his erection to her and a friend.
Mornington Peninsula council this week voted against stripping Mt Eliza’s Sunnyside North Beach of it’s clothing optional status.
Council had spent almost a year of considering the action and received an officers report outlining issues around “anti-social, illegal and concerning lewd behaviour that is occurring in the carpark and within the foreshore vegetation”, according to one councillor.
The council this week instead voted to install CCTV in the beach carpark, call for increased police patrols, introduce more signage warning against illegal behaviour and to cut back vegetation to reduce coverage for “illegal activity”.
Sunnyside is one of just three nudist beaches in Victoria, with both remaining beaches located in the Surf Coast Shire – “Nudies” at Point Impossible in Torquay and Southside Beach near Bells.
Winchelsea Ward councillor Heather Wellington this week reiterated the council was prepared to review its nudist beaches if sufficient community concerns were raised in the future – with no current major push against the beaches.
Ms Wellington also said the shire could do more to warn beach users about the Nudies location, as she knew of multiple people who’d had run-ins with nudists, including herself.
“There should be a buffer zone between the nudist beach,” Ms Wellington said.
“At that junction there’s just a single pole with a sign on it saying it’s a nudist beach ahead.”
“I do feel there should be a buffer zone with the nudist beach, almost a no man’s zone or greater prior warning.”
Earlier this year Ms Wellington revealed her own unsavoury experience at Nudies, revealing she had been walking along the beach with a female friend when a naked man emerged from the surf in front of them with an erection.
“He was intentionally exhibiting himself to us,” she said, noting she wasn’t frightened by the experience.
“I have seen that offensive behaviour, and I do think there should be a clearer warning for others, and there should be a buffer zone before you get to the nude beach.”
The Shire has previously lodged a submission to the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA) draft Point Impossible to Jan Juc Master Plan, supporting a potential move of ‘Nudies’ further east to “avoid conflict between beach users”.
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Originally published as Surf Coast avoids nudist influx after Peninsula council backs down on stripped Victoria’s only other nudist beach of its status
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