Experiencing a distinct sense of deja vu, we were unhappy to read that other beaches around the world are fighting to save their beaches just like we had to!! Holkham Bay is on the north coast of Norfolk, a large official beach that has won awards in years gone by. But the beach appears to be under threat at the moment, apparently due to very similar issues we faced on our beaches here!

In a Metro UK article, the article started strongly:

A number of visitors have reported lewd activity at the dedicated naturist beach at Holkham Bay, Norfolk, with one campaigner posting: ‘My last three visits to the beach have seen me propositioned twice. I’ve witnessed gay sex in the sand dunes and men walking around ‘playing’.

What’s new in this particular beach battle is that the fight has moved online. According to an article in the Yorkshire Evening Post:

A campaign has been launched on a social networking site calling for the closure of a nudist beach after claims it has become a “haven for swingers and perverts”.
The group on Facebook was set up after reports that people had witnessed gay sex in sand dunes in the upmarket resort of Holkham Bay, Norfolk.

We’ll be keeping an eye on this one, and will be keen to see a resolution that allows the nudists to retain access to the beach, and the undesirable element removed!! You have our support, Holkham Bay!

Update: It would seem police are following up the inappropriate behaviour being reported at Holkham Bay. According to the article on EADT24:

Andrew Welch, of British Naturism, stressed the incidents did not involve “genuine naturists’’.

“This type of thing is rare but we are aware of these reports,’’ he said.

Sounds familiar, no?

Came across this great article covering great places to be nude around Australia! It appears to be written by a Brit, given the reference to pebbly beaches and cold winds, but we did like this particular snippet:

And if you think that nudism is reserved only for beautiful people, think again! Nudist beaches have all sorts of body shape and age, from the very young to the very old. It is an unwritten rule of naturism that staring is not allowed, so you needn’t worry about being leered at. Photography is also not allowed and you’ll find a sense of community here that is hard to find elsewhere.

Check the article out, well worth the read!

Bit of excitement around April 1 – it would seem that almost every year, nudity or nudists end up in the centre of some April Fools gag, like being nude is such a shock to society that it couldn’t be anything but a joke!!

Which is why we didn’t post this sooner, it was a normal enough article that it didn’t filter to the top of the pile until now!! Anyway, an article was posted on The Border Mail, titled “Nude Beach Planned for Albury” – apparently Albury Council submitted the “secret plans” to State and Federal Govts as part of a funding hunt for developments…

To quote the article:

Efforts by The Border Mail this week to obtain a copy of the submission were unsuccessful but a public servant said there was not much point in seeing it as “it contains only the bare essentials’’.

Boom tish!

But these quotes were much more interesting:

While the council had nothing to hide about the proposal, she agreed some residents might baulk at the idea of sunbakers and swimmers being told that clothing was optional.

“Really there is nothing to worry about a nudist beach that follows the proper etiquette laid down by the Free Beaches Australia organisation,’’ a council spokeswoman said.

“They have rules like ‘no unauthorised photographs’ and ‘nude but not lewd’.

Not bad “comments” in the grand scheme of things, nude beach etiquette is quite core to the philosophy and does result in well-behaved beaches!

There are a couple of comments in response from readers, but nothing significant – and The Border Mail posted a comment confirming it was an April Fools gag. Is it just us, or is there really nothing that outlandish about a suggestion for a clothing optional river “beach”?

You know, there has been cases in the past where April Fools gags have been used as a real technique to float a potentially controversial idea and test the response. In this case, it looked like one against, a few in favour, a few more with general comments/observations, and that was it!! We think it’s consistent with society’s view of nudity in general, the vast majority are basically ambivalent, and there is a tiny minority who might get up in arms!!

Go for it Albury Council, we think this “April Fools gag” is a good idea that passed the temperature test!! And thanks Border Mail for getting such a good idea some airtime!!

(As a side note, we can’t seem to locate Heywoods Bridge, although we suspect it is the bridge that joins Talgarno Rd (NSW) and Hume Weir Rd (Vic) – the best spots seem to be on the Victorian side, but the little island that belongs to NSW could be entirel CO!! Not that you can easily get there, as far as we can see! Can anyone confirm this was the area being referred to in the article?)

An article ran in the Geelong Echo today, “Easter packed out on the coast”, it would appear Tourist Information centres are getting enough nude beach enquiries to warrant reporting it in the newspaper!!

At tourist information centres staff, are busy answering inquiries from hundreds of people wanting information on on everything from accommodation to the locations of nudist beaches.

We’ve got great beaches in Victoria, and it would appear word is getting out!! If you are on the beaches this Easter, please behave like a true nudist and represent our community well! And if you see anything untoward, or anyone in the dunes, report it!!

As Victorians get a sudden reminder what cold weather feels like, we thought it might be an idea to post an article on the best beaches to go to around the world. Sadly, our own beaches are pretty awesome but clearly didn’t make the cut compared to these amazing destinations!!

If you want to escape the chill, check out this link and dream of nicer places to be!!

As a side note, one of the beaches just near Miami has its own lifeguards and police – We wonder how dune dwellers would respond to active security measures at our own beaches, such as private security?? Hmmmm….