Mornington Peninsula Shire Council backs nudist beach

An intense battle between locals and Melbourne naturists over the city’s only nude beach is expected to come to a head.

An intense debate between local residents and Melbourne naturists over the city’s only nude beach will come to a head on Tuesday night.

Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors will vote on whether to keep Sunnyside North Beach “clothing optional” after consultation with the community drew thousands of supportive responses, as well as fierce opposition from local residents.

In what could shape as a key move, Mornington Shire staff have recommended councillors vote in favour of retaining Sunnyside’s current status, citing the survey in which 90 per cent of more than 4000 people supported it.

On Tuesday night councillors at the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council will vote on the future of Melbourne’s only nude beach, Sunnyside North. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

“Overall results indicate a clear preference in the community for Sunnyside North Beach to remain a clothing optional beach,” council officers wrote ahead of Tuesday night’s meeting.

But the report noted the fierce opposition of ratepayers and residents in Mount Eliza, the suburb where Sunnyside Beach is located.

Sunnyside North’s clothing optional status has been the subject of heated local debate on the Mornington Peninsula. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

“Results for the Mount Eliza residents survey displayed a near-opposite sentiment,” the report said, finding that nearly 60 per cent of the 177 contributions from Mount Eliza residents were opposed to the beach being clothing optional.

“General improvements” suggested by local residents were also summarised in the report, with officers finding that an increased police presence and cameras in the carpark could be solutions to concerns over anti-social behaviour.

A Mornington Peninsula Shire report said more than 90 per cent of 4000 surveyed responses supported keeping Sunnyside North clothing optional. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

They also suggested thinning vegetation surrounding the beach “with the aim of reducing hiding areas that may enable illegal activity”.

A online petition to “save” the beach has so far gathered nearly 2000 signatures.

Frankston resident Michael James, the Victorian State Representative of the Australian Naturist Federation, told NCA NewsWire that nudist beaches such as Sunnyside North were body-positive, liberating, non-judgemental and a safe space.

Sunnyside North is the only nude beach in Melbourne, with the other two located in Torquay, more than a two-hour drive from the Mornington Peninsula. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

He said the nearest nudist beach to Sunnyside North was in Torquay – about two and a half hours’ drive.

“We would hope the final chapter comes out of this (tonight’s council vote),” he told NCA NewsWire on Tuesday.

Mr James said he was “hopeful” Mornington councillors would look to the “very clear majority” of locals who supported keeping Sunnyside North clothing optional.

Michael James, the Victorian State Representative at the Australian Naturist Federation, said he hoped Sunnyside North’s future will be decided once and for all at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Mornington Peninsula Shire council. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

He said he had been going to Sunnyside North for about 27 years “basically just to be free from wearing clothes”.

“It’s not even a particularly nice beach,” Mr James said, adding it had a scarcity of sand and was crowded with rocks.