Yes, it would be great to come out and play and romp around naked on the beach.
The freedom of swimming butt-naked is a joy – I’m the first to agree. But that is only part of the truth at Tyagarah Nature Reserve.
David Heilpern gives a rosy picture of his experience of naturism. Stark naked people; unclothed men; women and children basking in their birthday suits. In an ideal world that would be wonderful, but the realities of Tyagarah are very different.
Imagine going for a swim at the ti-tree lakes and being abused for interrupting a bloke on his knees giving his mate a blow job – not fun; walking or jogging to the beach and being harassed by blokes trying to pick you up – not fun; or taking your teenage daughters to the beach for a swim only to have blokes expose themselves inappropriately – not ideal; sit on an almost deserted beach and have a bloke come and sit centimetres away pestering you – not relaxing.
Freedom has to go both ways. If naturists want a place to play then put it in a more public place where there is some control over unacceptable sex pests, not in an isolated beach where men, women and children have no protection.
We deserve the freedom to go to the beach or the ti-tree lakes without being harassed, to relax and enjoy nature too.
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. 
