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The Origin of
Free Beaches Australia Inc
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Alexandria Bay, Noosa Heads, one of
Queensland's
most popular unofficial nude beaches. |
Frustrated by
not having any legal nude beaches in Queensland a group of Brisbane nudists
called a Public Meeting on 1st July, 1988, which led to the
formation of The Free Beach Association
of Qld Inc. The aim of the Association was to lobby for a change in the laws to allow Local Governments to
designate sections of beaches where people could legally swim and sunbathe
nude.
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Buchans Point Beach near Cairns,
scene of the arrests in 1988 and 1989. |
Coincidentally, whilst this meeting
was being planned 16 people were arrested on Buchans Point beach, a ‘well
known’ nudist beach near Cairns, in May 1988. This caused an enormous public
outcry in the area and the Far North Queensland Free Beach Association was
formed to lobby for legalising nude bathing in selected areas. In spite of
favourable support from many quarters another 11 were arrested in September
1989 at the same beach and at nearby Trinity Beach.
Unfortunately, after more
than 16 years and many submissions, constant lobbying and much favourable
publicity, the Queensland State Government has not acceded to our wishes.
The FNQFBA finally ran out of puff a couple of years ago and disbanded, but
the Free Beach Association of Qld Inc remains strong and determined, and has
now amalgamated with the Free Beach Association of NSW Inc to become an
Australia wide organisation.
The situation in New South
Wales was somewhat different as they had legal nude beaches but one was
under threat of closure. Ron Wilkinson explains...
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Reef Beach as it was before the walkway
was installed. |
The Free Beach
Association of NSW was formed late in 1992 when it was learnt that legal
nude bathing on Reef Beach at Balgowlah was under threat. The Manly Council,
with the support of the local Member of Parliament, put into action a
campaign and finally court action that would prosecute people for merely
swimming and sunbathing nude on what had been a designated nudist beach for
over twenty years.
During that time there had never been any problems, indeed the beach had
its own honorary beach inspector, Bob Reed.
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Charges were laid on
the day of the protest. |
At first we believed
our legal right to bathe nude at the beach was written in law. When we
realised our recreational lifestyle was really under threat, the beach-goers
united and formed what was to become
the Free Beach Association of NSW Inc, under the stewardship of its
president Bob Reed. On the 9th
February 1993, with numerous television cameras and a large contingent of
the media in attendance, seventy persons were summonsed for doing what they
had done legally for years on Reef Beach – going nude.
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Reef Beach as it looks today. |
As it turned
out, the Free Beach Association of NSW fight had only just begun and it then
took four years of lobbying the then Labor Opposition to make a core promise
that once in government, they would legalise Reef Beach and several others
as designated nude bathing areas. Right up to a week prior to the
legislation going before parliament Reef Beach was definitely included. But
other Labor Parliamentarians were putting pressure in Caucus for the Premier
to delete Reef Beach from the list and have it replaced with Cobblers Beach
at Mosman. Triumphantly the FBA of NSW did have seven new nudist beaches
legalised within the state, but to our dismay the absolute jewel in its
crown, Reef Beach was not one of them.
It is now time
to move on and after thirteen fruitful years the executive of the FBA of NSW
acknowledges that it has done as much as it can for the nudist movement in
New South Wales. In December 2004 our members voted to merge with the Free
Beach Association of Qld and create one Free Beach Association for naturists
in all states and territories throughout Australia. We recommend that all
nudists / naturists join this fine organisation and continue the ongoing
fight for future generations of Australians.
And so we
enter a new phase in the quest for more legal clothing optional beaches
right around Australia. Following the creation of a single national
association, Free Beaches Australia Inc, it is hoped that we can now attract sizeable membership in all
states, with local groups in each area co-ordinating social and sporting
activities at the local level. If you enjoy swimming and sunbathing without
the need for a costume please join our association and help us grow into a
force that will command the respect and recognition we deserve.
Click here
for membership application. |
