D Conomy, Byron Naturists.
In response to your report $1,000 for a skinny dip, I am really concerned that genuine naturists have been caught up in what was believed to be ‘we are not after the nudists/naturists, it’s the lewd, inappropriate behaviour we are trying to rid of’.
This ‘zero tolerance’ for those that truly may well have been unaware that new regulations were now in place (such as the overdue signage for Tyagarah/Belongil Beach, which, for many years now both Council and NPWS, had denied responsibility for), added to the fact that our designated clothing-optional area at last council meeting was reduced from 1,100 metres to 800 metres of legal nude bathing.
I have been on Tyagarah Beach many times as a representative of Byron Naturists and Safe Beaches, yes clearly within the allocated clothing optional area, and have witnessed hundreds of genuine nudists/naturists – including couples and families – now returning to our beaches, ensuring a new generation of naturists come to our beaches. Isn’t this why it was declared many years ago as a place to be at one with nature?
Byron has always had that peaceful vibe: a place many feel they can come to to relax and chill out, a chosen tourist destination the world over, also because of our clothing optional beaches.
I understand that police are acting within the law on this and putting in a remarkable, time-consuming effort in keeping our beaches safe and antisocial-behaviour free, though I cannot understand why those that are clearly doing nothing but skinny dipping cannot be cautioned as was originally believed would happen.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
