Just had this one sent in to us, it would appear that the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC) is kicking off the planning for the Coastal Management Plan (CMP). This is a seriously important process – these management plans become the basis for projects, funding and other coastal programs that guide and shape how the spaces under management are used.

Beaches affected are Pt Impossible and Southside, and this process is our opportunity to make comments or suggestions covering various topics around the beaches and their management.

We highly recommend anyone interested in contributing should fill out the online survey, or register to attend one of the workshops coming up later this month. We missed out on being part of the CMP Community Reference Group (decided back in September), so this is our chance to get our voices heard!

Check out these links to get more info:
- GORCC home page – http://www.gorcc.com.au/
- About the CMP – http://www.gorcc.com.au/projects/298/
- CMP Fact Sheet – Fact Sheet
- CMP Survey – http://surveyfactory.net/s/746/cmpsurvey1

Yup, it would seem that Ron Humphrey has somehow managed to land himself a spot on the Surf Coast Shire Council, at least until the next round of elections in November 2012 – given it wasn’t the Surf Coast residents that voted him in this time, but a somewhat eyebrow-raising countback using preference votes from the last election, we suspect he won’t make it past the next elections!

Congratulations Ron, on the unlikely chance you read this site – enjoy your time back in the council chambers while you have it. Our only advice would be for you to focus on the really pressing issues that concern the residents in the Surf Coast Shire, if you want ANY chance of being voted back in at the next elections!! You know how well your last attempt at closing our beaches went, but we’re always happy to sit down and have a chat about the ways the council can help make the beaches a better place for all users – if you want to talk about replacing the toilet block, putting in better lighting and fencing, and establishing council patrols of the Dunes, just let us know!! And we’ll certainly be keeping an eye on things, as we head into another summer of popular beach use!

The nudist community supports safe beaches for all users, and works actively with local and state representatives to do our part in support! And our advice to beach users remains unchanged – appropriate behaviour on the beaches and no going in the dunes, and there’ll be no reason to associate nudists with any issues.

Update: Ron’s return to the Surf Coast Shire Council is already with controversy, as it would appear he’s got a little conflict of interest going on – others have advised Ron that being a councillor and remaining president of the Surf Coast Community Ratepayers Association could be problematic!! Not for Ron though, he’s got it under control – be interesting to see if he manages to hold onto both positions!!

Here’s the article from today’s Surf Coast Times, if you are interested!

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!!

A great article about all the beaches in The Age today. According to the article:

For more than 30 years, nudists have been getting their gear off around Melbourne. Here’s Metro’s guide to the best clothes-free beaches. Luke Buckmaster reports

Great comments from Barbara Rolfe, who represented the views of the nudist/naturist community very well in the article. Werner Jacob, president of the Nudist Association of Victoria, also made some excellent comments, so thanks to both of you.

More from the article:

Nakedness and liberation is an association widely echoed within the nudist community, but self-empowerment tends to mean little to those who campaign against public nudity. Pro-nude organisations such as Free Beaches Australia Incorporated claim their shores are constantly under threat from the nudity naysayers: councils, property developers and religious lobbyers.

To read the entire article, click here

One of the proposals outlined at a Surf Coast Shire Council beach update workshop discussed the installation of security CCTV cameras in beach car parks along the Surf Coast Shire. The proposal was not limited to the CO beaches, as there is apparently inappropriate behaviour occurring in car parks in general.

As quoted in the article:

Surf Coast Shire Cr Brian McKiterick said the cameras, which were poised to be installed on the beach’s car park last October, were still being reviewed.

“There are ongoing investigations to determine if the cameras would be a benefit or not,” Cr McKiterick said.

“There have been no reports of obscene behaviour and police have increased patrols over the summer to make sure people are not entering dunes.”

Cameras were always going to be a tricky proposition, and other methods of controlling inappropriate behaviour appeared to improve the situation. Fines for entering and being found in the dunes, plus increased police patrols were always going to be more effective than cameras.

Click here for the full article – and our thanks to Rob who was quoted in the article, for representing the interests of the nudist community so well!!