PHOTO: Anita Grigg and Mark Hayter from Free Beaches Australia at Alexandria Bay.
THE NOOSA JOURNAL, THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2008
By Nathan Evans What do you think?
Should nude bathing be legalised at Alexandria Bay?
Contact us at editor@journalweekender.com.au
NOOSA'S nudists hope the new amalgamated super council will legalise nude bathing at Alexandria Bay. The group's Coolum-based spokeswoman Anita Grigg claims the state will only legislate with written support of the local council and Noosa Council was ``buckpassing'' over jurisdiction.
She says the refusal to legalise nude bathing at Alexandria Bay site of the annual Nude Olympics is costing the shire's tourism industry many thousands of dollars a year in missed income.
Noosa was missing out on a major slice of a multimillion-dollar market without legalised nude bathing on the beach, unofficially used as ``clothes-optional'' for some 60 years.
``Noosa's tourism industry is based around niche markets. This is a huge niche market that is being overlooked,'' she said.
``We have the right climate. Provide the legal beach and people will come from overseas. Provide them with what they want and Noosa will make money.''
Ms Grigg, who has been attending Alexandria Bay for 30 years, said a legal stamp was necessary to give visitors peace-of-mind while ensuring authorities couldnot suddenly penalise nudity.
She said she was inundated with calls from nudist backpackers and holidaymakers who decided not to come to Noosa for fear of being fined.
Tourism Noosa CEO Steve Cooper said his organisation did not endorse nude tourism due to safety concerns over Alexandria Bay. ``It's not a missed tourism opportunity,'' he said.
Noosa Mayor Bob Abbot said he had no concerns either way, but did not want to see nude bathing legislated across other open beaches.
Police and Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence said Queensland law prohibited nude beaches but she would consider proposals from any local council that wanted to establish a nude beach.
``I ask that a council that wishes to establish a nude beach write to me with their request and I will consider their application,'' she said. ``I will certainly read with interest and consider any proposal received from any council on this issue.''
Ms Grigg said legalising nude bathing on Alexandria Bay would enable official signs to be put up warning unwitting visitors to the presence of nudity.
www.questnews.com.au/noosa_journal.html
THE NOOSA JOURNAL, THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2008
By Nathan Evans What do you think?
Should nude bathing be legalised at Alexandria Bay?
Contact us at editor@journalweekender.com.au
NOOSA'S nudists hope the new amalgamated super council will legalise nude bathing at Alexandria Bay. The group's Coolum-based spokeswoman Anita Grigg claims the state will only legislate with written support of the local council and Noosa Council was ``buckpassing'' over jurisdiction.
She says the refusal to legalise nude bathing at Alexandria Bay site of the annual Nude Olympics is costing the shire's tourism industry many thousands of dollars a year in missed income.
Noosa was missing out on a major slice of a multimillion-dollar market without legalised nude bathing on the beach, unofficially used as ``clothes-optional'' for some 60 years.
``Noosa's tourism industry is based around niche markets. This is a huge niche market that is being overlooked,'' she said.
``We have the right climate. Provide the legal beach and people will come from overseas. Provide them with what they want and Noosa will make money.''
Ms Grigg, who has been attending Alexandria Bay for 30 years, said a legal stamp was necessary to give visitors peace-of-mind while ensuring authorities couldnot suddenly penalise nudity.
She said she was inundated with calls from nudist backpackers and holidaymakers who decided not to come to Noosa for fear of being fined.
Tourism Noosa CEO Steve Cooper said his organisation did not endorse nude tourism due to safety concerns over Alexandria Bay. ``It's not a missed tourism opportunity,'' he said.
Noosa Mayor Bob Abbot said he had no concerns either way, but did not want to see nude bathing legislated across other open beaches.
Police and Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence said Queensland law prohibited nude beaches but she would consider proposals from any local council that wanted to establish a nude beach.
``I ask that a council that wishes to establish a nude beach write to me with their request and I will consider their application,'' she said. ``I will certainly read with interest and consider any proposal received from any council on this issue.''
Ms Grigg said legalising nude bathing on Alexandria Bay would enable official signs to be put up warning unwitting visitors to the presence of nudity.
www.questnews.com.au/noosa_journal.html
