By JONATHON HOWARD
NOOSA Police said two complaints about public nudity at Alexandria Bay had prompted an officer to visit A-Bay and subsequently issue two infringement notices to naked beach goers recently.
Noosa Heads Police Station Senior Sergeant Steve McRight said police were obligated to follow through with any complaints.
“When police receive these complaints, we will follow through with the full extent of the law,” he said.
“In this case we, had two complaints about public nudity and our officers investigated.”
However, Snr Sgt McRight stopped short from saying whether police would begin to clamp down on A-Bay as an unofficial nudist beach.
“Where a complaint has been made police will investigate and those found to be displaying their private parts in public, will be issued with infringement notices,” he said.
WHO MADE THE COMPLAINT?
ONE of the two men behind the A-Bay nudity complaint has contacted Noosa Today last week, to give readers his side of the story.
The man, who did not want to be named, said he had been walking through the Noosa National Park near A-Bay, when he passed a naked man.
He said he was sick of seeing naked people around the beach and said it was time police cracked down on the unlawful act.
“It was confronting and I thought it was plain wrong,” he said.
“So I decided to inform the police about the issue, in the hope they would curb this behaviour.”
The man, who said he was in his sixties, said he did not believe there was a time or a place for public nudity.
“I am completely against it, regardless of whether it’s modest or not,” he said.
“There’s no place for this in the public eye and that’s all I’d like to say.”
WHAT DO THE NUDISTS THINK?
NOOSA’S self proclaimed nudists have vowed to protest any future police action on Alexandria Bay and there’s a growing push to have the beach lawfully recognised as Queensland’s first official nude beach.
Noosa Edge Nudist Retreat owner Rainer Muekenberger said the stigma building around nude beach goers was “unjustified”.
“I think you will find that the vast majority of naked A-Bay beach goers are respectable people,” he said.
“There are no issues at the beach and aside from being naked there’s really nothing out of the ordinary.”
Noosa Today spoke with several naked sun bathers at A-Bay who said they had been coming to the beach for years and never see any issues.
They have also supported a push to make A-Bay an official nude beach.
Noosa resident John Thompson said he has been visiting A-Bay for 13 years and was shocked by the news it was unlawful to go nude.
“I’m really surprised to hear that,” he said.
“Absolutely it should be legal – it’s the nude beach the coast needs.”
Visitors to Noosa also agreed that A-Bay was a big draw card.
David Jacobson has been visiting Noosa from New Zealand for many years and said A-Bay keeps him coming back.
“I think as long as nudists behave, then why not,” he said.
Sydneysider Phillip Rickson said Queensland could do with a nude beach.
“Every other state but Queensland has one (officially), and I think A-Bay is a prime candidate,” he said.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Would you like to see A-Bay become Queensland’s first officially nude beach? Or has public nudity gone too far?
