I was a regular at North Swanbourne for many years. There were enough public spirited regulars to deal with the occasional unacceptable behaviour. Sometimes there were senior police officers present [in "plain clothes" if you could call it that! Not on duty], but we sorted things out for ourselves.

The legal free beach in Rockingham is less than 5 minutes drive from my house. It's close to a fully built up residential area and is separated from the adjacent textile beach simply by a sign informing of its legal status. There's no visual barrier whatsoever. The fact that it is "quiet and trouble free" as described by a local police sergeant and the council former chief ranger is no doubt due to its very public situation.

Putting clothes-optional beaches in isolated places is just asking for trouble. People going there are put at risk, not because they may be nude, but simply because they are in an un-policed area. It's also discriminatory to put any public facility in an area which cannot easily be accessed by people who are old, infirm or struggling with young children and trying to carry the many items which are needed for families to enjoy any outdoor activity.

A while ago, I was on our beach and saw a man a little way up acting inappropriately. I walked over to him and told him that, next time I was on the beach, I would have a camera with me and would photograph him if he was acting like that. And I would give copies to the council, the police and the media. I never saw him again. I know what you mean, Sylvia, probably few on our beach would have done that. They fear retribution from the council if they report any inappropriate behaviour. As far as I am concerned, that attitude achieves nothing.

Many years ago, a senior WA police officer told the media [during an attempted smear campaign] that North Swanbourne had no more perverts than any other [textile] beach. Something which people with an axe to grind unfortunately find hard to believe.

Rex, the discrimination can be worse than just a lack of policing.
Qld with no legal CO beaches has an unofficial one on the Sunshine Coast. A remote unofficial site - no lifeguards (except for special events). There is a phone on the far end of the beach (away from the area used by nudists) but I gather it is generally broken due to vandals.

People have a choice regarding swimming at the beach so the risk is their own. Having said that the governments unwillingness to support any safely accessable CO beaches limits the options of nudists and has contributed to peoples deaths.

R0bert

Every one is right on this issue, from their own perspective of course.
What they have been doing in Europe is forming clubs with facilities.
Raising money amongst members and buying a bushblock would be an option.
Preferably a large farm with a huge dam with waterholding (water..were?)
capability and land which has to be desalinated for profit and powergenerating.(no pun intended Sylvia)

There are plenty of private member nudist clubs in Australia too, some of them with extensive grounds. And also plenty of holiday places, ranging from very basic to very comfortable. But many people don't want to be forced to go to private clubs or resorts and why should they?

It is noticeable that there have been no serious attacks on nudism on this thread. Surely that is because most Australians are either actively or passively on-side, or neutral. And this is what has been found in many impartial surveys.

My small WA city has many, many kilometres of beach. We have boat launching facilities, places for wind surfing, fishing, snorkeling, spearfishing, jet skiing, you name it. A great, lifesaver patrolled surf beach. And many kilometers of dog walking beaches. But just 800 metres of clothes optional beach. This beach has never caused any problems, but a small minority of people, apparently mainly extreme Christians, openly wish it wasn't there.

Most of the complaints regarding beach activities in my city relate to uncontrolled dogs. Fighting each other, fouling the beaches and walking paths, attacking other dogs and sometimes attacking people. Most of the violent criminal activity seems to be associated with some of the hotels and night clubs. And we also have serious problems with road hoons and graffiti. But no problems with our legal freebeach, which is easily accessible, close to built up areas and easily seen from adjacent beaches. Surely this should tell us something.

G'day
I would agree with many of you, saing in the polite way, that our Australian society in it'sew on nudity and interpretation of "morale" etc. fueled by certain organisations, is a very much backward and rusty.

In some instances is like a living in kind of fundametalistic system.
Arn't people travelling all over the waorld?
Did any one notice such pointles debates about nudity, in most appropriate placess such as abeaches,taking place in Croatia? Is there any big deal with nudidty in the central park in Salzgitter or Frankfurt, Holland, beaches of France even in so ortodox, one would think, Spain? No!.

Old and young, grandmas and kids enjoying swim and sun bath without any shame or shocks. It would be rather "vo pa" if some one would try to make any comments on that.

Some arguments are based on supposingly missbehaviour of some individuals, but if our australian beaches wouldn't be tacked "somwhere in the corner" placess, these thing wouldn't be happening.

Tad