The Australian state of Victoria has four official nude beaches and three of them have conservative interest groups attempting to have their legal status repealed, according to Rob Stephenson, spokesperson for the Free Beach Association and Nudist Association of Victoria (FBANAVIC). One particularly vicious battle involves the nude beach at Point Impossible where efforts to chase nudists out come from a conservative local government, as well as members of the community. The outcome of that fight could seal the fate of the other two, Stephenson said.
In hedonistic, beach-going, “laissez-faire” Australia, such anti-liberal attacks aren’t typical, but all it takes is a “small but noisy group, seeking to impose their views on the majority”, Stephenson points out. He also emphasized that there also has been pressure from property developers as seaside towns expand in the direction of formerly remote nude beaches.
Australian law makes public nudity a criminal act, but only if someone places a formal complaint, Stephenson informs us. In the past, “Some police officers were prepared to walk for miles across barren sand dunes (to nude beaches) with the express purpose of being offended”, he claims.
One of the “proactive” strategies adopted by nudist groups, Stephenson affirms, involves educating the public: “…Highlight the positive aspects of nudism to the media and community, promote its tourism potential to authorities, and demonstrate that nudists are just normal people who like to do things without their clothes on!”.

Photo courtesy of Rob Stephenson. Copyright Rob Stephenson

Related Links:

• FBANAVIC web site