Police sign warning of penalties for going naked in the Tyagarah Nature Reserve outside the clothing optional area. Photo: Byron Bay Naturist Group Facebook page
After complaints by members of the public regarding sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour in the Tyagarah Nature Reserve, police have commenced daily patrols of the area – and in the last week have arrested four men.
Two weeks ago, police together with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) erected warning signs at the Grays Lane car park and at the entrance to the tea-tree lakes (pictured right).
On Thursday (October 26) two men aged 35 and 63 were fined for being naked in an area signposted as not a designated clothes optional area.
On Friday two men both aged 48 were charged with engaging in offensive conduct.
All four were issued with criminal infringement notices and moved on from the area.
Last week, Byron Shire Council voted to erect its own signage to clearly demarcate the reduced clothing-optional bathing area, which now commences 200m south of the Grays Lane car park.
Become a supporter of The Echo
A note from the editorial team
Some of The Echo’s editorial team: journalists Paul Bibby and Aslan Shand, editor Hans Lovejoy, photographer Jeff Dawson and Mandy Nolan
“The Echo has never underestimated the intelligence and passion of its readers. In a world of corporate banality and predictability, The Echo has worked hard for more than 30 years to help keep Byron and the north coast unique with quality local journalism and creative ideas. We think this area needs more voices, reasoned analysis and ideas than just those provided by News Corp, lifestyle mags, Facebook groups and corporate newsletters.
The Echo is one hundred per cent locally owned and one hundred per cent independent. As you have probably gathered from what is happening in the media industry, it is not cheap to produce a weekly newspaper and a daily online news service of any quality.
We have always relied entirely on advertising to fund our operations, but often loyal readers who value our local, independent journalism have asked how they could help ensure our survival.
Any support you can provide to The Echo will make an enormous difference. You can make a one-off contribution or a monthly one. With your help, we can continue to support a better informed local community and a healthier democracy for another 30 years.”
This is absurd! Daily police patrols to stop a handful of perverts. These men will just go to toilets in shopping malls and other places. Police are needed in important jobs involving genuine crime and are not needed to monitor people’s morals.
Yes these men are not nudists, will just end up going back in to Byron and solicit at shopping centre urinals and other public reserves. Just moving on the problem as it is not to do with nudity, rather opportunity.
Jasper – and other readers. Our club did the A-Bay games for over three decades up near Noosa {QLD}. I congratulate the local constabulary for making their patrols and taking the time to enforce the law. This area is precious to genuine “Naturists” and I can speak confidently on behalf of us all – that this location will return to being a safe location for those of the lifestyle. Our weight of numbers will ensure that. Thanks for considering the content of this message.
Just to support Kerry – People need to understand that as more as we create an issue about naked swim and sunbathe as more it will be seen as a pervert practice. We need to make the point that naturists are not swingers, no-clothes does not mean sex, at least not at public places and eyes. I believe the police is enforcing this.
sadly it wont stop.. Nude beaches may be shut down because of it — but in the long run, it wont stop the activity happening in sand dunes and in the bushes. Bottom line is ultimately free beaches closed, but a cloud of sand dust still happening in the dunes .
What amazes me is being on a nude beach and seeing so many men ( there with their families) wandering around the dunes while pretending to be straight — and some of them are making a feast of it.
Frankly if police raids are just going “move the men on to public toilets in shopping centres” as mentioned earlier, maybe its best that the gay nudists establish their own “section” of a nudist beach and stick to it if that’s the kind of activity they want — Raise the gay flag as a warning to others that they the place has gay men in the area. Im not sure its a good outcome, and it will be sad — but you know? its no worse than encountering a man and a woman going for it hammer and tong on the waters edge – as I have seen on a few occasions…. Its a conundrum and I guess one that will be around for ages – and never resolved…