Archive-name: nude-faq/beaches/Australasia
Last-modified:  Apr  6 19:38 

  This is one of four volumes of the "REC.NUDE FAQ: Naturist Site Reports".
  These are posted on the first of each month.

  This volume covers Australasia.

  The purpose of this FAQ is to list some brief information on a variety
  of clothing optional locales that are frequently mentioned on rec.nude.
  This FAQ cannot be a replacement for a more thorough source such as the
  World Guide (see the REC.NUDE Frequently Asked Questions, Part II of II).
  As you can see from this FAQ, there are CO locales all over the place.
  If you don't see one near you here or want more information about these,
  feel free to ask the rec.nude assemblage (the maintainer of this FAQ is
  not an especially good source for such information).

  The maintainer of this FAQ takes no responsibility for the accuracy of
  the information contained herein.  Updates to these entries are greatly
  appreciated; this FAQ is only as good as you make it.

  Many FAQs, including this one, are archived on the site rtfm.mit.edu.
  This FAQ is archived in the pub/usenet/news.answers/nude-faq/beaches
  directory.  Archives may be retrieved by anonymous FTP or by sending e-mail
  to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with a line such as the following in the body:
  send usenet/news.answers/nude-faq/beaches/whatever

  + - and | in the 1st column mark additions/deletions/changes from last month.

  (c) Copyright 1993,1994 Richard M. Mathews.  Copyrights for contributions
  to this document may be retained by their authors who may or may not be
  named below.  Permission is granted to freely distribute this in whole
  or in part provided that it is without profit or service fees and that
  this notice remains attached.

  In this issue:
   New Zealand Clubs
   New Zealand Beaches
   New Zealand Resorts
   New Zealand Publications and Contact Information
   Australia National Organizations and Sources of Information
   Australia, Victoria
   Australia, New South Wales
   Australia, Queensland
   Australia, Western Australia

  NEW ZEALAND CLUBS

  Of the 19 clubs within the NZ Nudist Federation, all provide adequate
  camping facilities for visitors.  Some of the larger clubs boast holiday
  accommodation on site, by way of cabins or caravans (trailers) available
  for rent.  Most clubs have a power hook-up for caravans or camper-vans.
  Most clubs are within a ten minute drive of food supplies and all clubs
  have drinking water on site.  None have on site catering, however
  clubhouses have cooking and food cold storage, for a limited capacity.
  Membership of clubs varies from over 300 to less than 50.  Generally,
  camping rates are very cheap, even by local standards.

  From north to south, the clubs are as follows:

  North Island:
  Hibiscus Coast Sun Club  P.O. Box 128 Orewa
  Auckland Outdoor Health Club P.O. Box 2702 Auckland
  Auckland Sun Club  P.O. Box 15 412 New Lynn Auckland
  South Auckland Sun Club  P.O. Box 821 Papakura
  Waikato Outdoor Society  P.O. Box 619 Hamilton
  Rotata Sun Club   58 Torphin Crescent Tokoroa
  Bay of Plenty Sun Club  P.O. Box 476 Whakatane
  Gisborne Country Club  P.O. Box 391 Gisborne
  Hawkes Bay Sun Club  P.O. Box 551 Napier
  Taranaki Naturists Club  P.O. Box 3039 New Plymouth
  Wanganui Sun Club  P.O. Box 410 Wanganui
  Palmerston North Sun Club P.O. Box 980 Palmerston North
  Wellington Sun Club  P.O. Box 2854 Wellington

  South Island:
  Nelson Sun Club   P.O. Box 33 Upper Moutere Nelson
  Canterbury Sun Club  P.O. Box 1823 Christchurch
  South Canterbury Sun Club P.O. Box 610 Timaru
  Alpine Lakes Nudist Club P.O. Box 49 Arrowtown Central Otago
  The Orchard Sun Club  P.O. Box 5460 Dunedin
  Southern Sun & Health Club P.O. Box 49 Otautau

  There is a comprehensive guide to these nudist clubs and the facilities
  each has at its grounds, along with detailed directions to find the
  grounds.  Details for obtaining a copy appear later in this document.

  NEW ZEALAND FREE BEACHES

  New Zealand has no national laws prohibiting nudity, save where it is
  intended to be offensive.  Some local bodies have regulated against
  nudity on their beaches, however they have not yet managed to police
  such by-laws in an effective way.  Police, if they questioned someone
  in response to a complaint against nudity, would usually request that
  the nude person dress, rather than arrest them.

  You should assume on NZ free beaches that you will need to bring your
  own food and drink.  None that I have visited have toilet facilities
  (or changing rooms!).

  The Free Beach Group lists the following "main" nudist beaches:

  Uretiti: From State Highway 1, 6 km north of Waipu, North of Auckland,
  turn into the Uretiti Beach Recreation Reserve.  Big camping ground
  among pine trees.  No dogs, no open fires.  Petrol and stores at Waipu
  or Ruakaka, 3 km further on.  Recent attempts for people to go nude in
  the (mixed nudist and textile) camp ground has been discouraged by
  rangers.

  Pohutukawa Bay (Long Bay): From the Auckland Harbour Bridge, drive up
  the Northern Motorway, through the Sunset Road lights and turn right at
  the end into Rosedale Road, at the second sign to East Coast Bays.  Turn
  left into East Coast Bays Road, go 3 km, turn right at the roundabout
  into Carlisle Road.  Follow the main road 4 km past the Torbay shops to
  the ARC park at the end.  Park at the far north end carpark, walk north
  30 minutes to the second beach along.  Track over the cliffs is good if
  the tide is in.  Bus goes from the top of Victoria Street to the beach
  from Auckland city.  Trees on the beach for shade.

  St Leonards Beach: From Takapuna on Auckland's North Shore, drive south
  2 km along Lake Road, turn left into St Leonards Road and park at the
  end.  Beach is down cliff path at end of road.  Recently this beach has
  been the target of local council moves to ban nudity.  There have been
  no arrests and the action of the council is largely through the media.
  Beach is in the middle of Auckland city and very popular with nudists
  and non-nudists alike.  Although the cliffs make foot access difficult,
  the water front is very busy with boats and jet skis.  The Bayswater bus
  will drop you at the end of St Leonards Road, from Victoria Street West
  in central Auckland.  Takapuna Grammar School identifies the road in.

  Little Palm Beach: Waiheke Island, by virtue of the QuickCat boat service,
  has become almost a suburb of Auckland, with many islanders commuting to
  the city to work each day.  The ferry ticket can include the cost of the
  bus trip to Palm Beach or you can hire bikes or mopeds for the day.  Walk
  from Palm Beach around the rocks or over the headland to your left.  This
  beach has been a safe nudist beach since a 1970s attempt to prosecute a
  nude bather with very publicly lost by the authorities.  Swimming is
  perfect and the local grocery store is only a five minute walk down the
  beach, if you can be bothered getting dressed.

  Orpheus Bay (Emiel's Beach): From Titirangi in West Auckland, follow the
  signs towards Huia, turning left at sign to Huia Point Lookout.  Track
  entrance is 200m along, in the far corner of a grassed parking area, the
  Con Bryan Tract.  A small sandy beach backed by bush-clad hills, best in
  mid-summer.  Good swimming and fishing.  No camping.

  Papamoa: From Tauranga, on the east coast of the North Island, follow
  signs towards Mount Maunganui, turn right just over the railway line at
  the roundabout, into Girven Road.  Near the sea, turn right into Maranui
  Road at sign to Papamoa.  Go 2 km past the Bay Park Raceway and park on
  the grass by the Papamoa Beach sign.  Track 50m over the sand dunes to
  the beach.  This beach is very easy access for those who do not want to,
  or are unable to, walk far to enjoy a good ocean beach.

  Pekapeka: From State Highway 1 6 km north of Waikanae (on the west coast
  of the North Island, towards Wellington) turn west into Te Hapua Road,
  3 km to the end.  Track 100m to the beach, walk to your left 10 - 15
  minutes.  No camping.

  Breaker Bay: From the end of State Highway 1 in Wellington, follow the
  signs to the airport, turning right at the second roundabout at signs to
  Airport-Strathmore-Seatoun.  Turn left into Broadway at sign to Seatoun,
  go past the Strathmore shops, up the hill and through the tunnel.  Turn
  immediately right into Ludlam Road, then second right into Inglis Street,
  up the hill and through a road cutting (Pass of Branda).  Two car parks
  are on your left at the bottom of the him, or go by bus to Seatoun and
  walk 1 km along Inglis Street to the beach.

  Spencerville Beach: From the State Highway 1 Motorway north of Christchurch
  in the South Island, turn off at sign to Chaneys and follow signs to
  Spencerville, 7 km to Spencer Park picnic and recreation grounds.  Going
  from Christchurch, drive along Marshlands Road and turn into Lower Styx
  Road at sign to Spencerville 5 km.  At the beach, keep left along a
  bumpy road among trees and park at the end.  Walk to your left along
  the sandspit.  There is a motor camp and a store.


  NEW ZEALAND RESORTS

  New Zealand does not have a highly developed nudist resort market.  Some
  of the larger clubs have excellent facilities, but none of them provide
  the sorts of organised nude recreation popular in the US and Europe.
  Generally accommodation is only cabins, tents or caravans (trailers).

  The one significant exception is Mapua Leisure Park.  Mapua is a commercially
  run motel and camping ground with a range of accommodation options.  It is
  also CO, including a small private beach.  Mapua is located just out of
  Nelson at the top of the South Island in an area famous for mild weather
  all year round.  Information can be obtained by writing to Mapua Leisure
  Park, Toru Street, Mapua, Nelson or phoning (64 - 3) 540 2666.

  The other commercially operated CO facility is Talstrom, located in
  Northland (north of Auckland) at Mangawhai Heads.  Talstrom has 11
  acres of forest and native bush.  It is 5 km from the local free beach
  and has limited accommodation, either in house or in a fully equipped
  cabin, for adults only.  There is a discount for INF passport holders.
  Contact Ian & Shirley Morton, RD 2, Kaiwaka or phone (64 - 9) 431J4060.


  NEW ZEALAND PUBLICATIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

  For Further Information about New Zealand Nude Recreation, contact:

  New Zealand Nudist Federation, P.O. Box 1359, Wellington

  Free Beach Group, Inc, P.O. Box 41 171, St Lukes, Auckland 3


  Publications Relating to Nude Recreation in New Zealand:

  New Zealand Naturist (P.O. Box 2925, Auckland)

  NZ Nudist Clubs Camping Directory - compiled by the Taranaki
  Naturists Club

  Free Beaches - A Guide to Nudist Recreation in New Zealand -
  compiled by the Free Beach Group.

  Video: Naked Down Under by David Ball, available on Pal format from
  Doug Ball Photography, 16 Selwyn Street, New Plymouth.
   [Original from Brent Thomson (BTHOMS@waikato.ac.nz)]


  AUSTRALIA NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION

  Australian Nudist Federation (ANF),
  P.O. Box 268
  Belconnen ACT 2617

  ANF Supporters,
  P.O.Box 371
  Beenleigh Qld 4207

  Australian nude recreational information is comprehensively contained
  in "Bare Facts - A Guide to Australia's Nude and Dress Optional Clubs,
  Resorts and Beaches" published by Australian Sun and Health, P.O. Box 5601,
  Mail Centre, Gold Coast, Queensland 4217, Australia.  A survey of some
  of the sites listed in Bare Facts is shown in the video "Bare Facts of
  Oz" from the same source.
   [Original from Greg Stroot (greg.stroot@eng.monash.edu.au)
   and Brent Thomson (BTHOMS@waikato.ac.nz)]


  AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA

  State Organisations
  -------------------
  Nudist Association of Victoria (NAV)
  P.O.Box 118
  Huntingdale Vic 3166

  Clubs with Grounds
  ------------------
  Corio Valley Nudist Club Inc., P.O.Box 379, Geelong Vic 3220, Ph (052)819200
  Helios Society, P.O.Box 440, Dandenong Vic. 3175, Ph (059) 819200
  Northside Country Club, P.O.Box 158, Wandong, Vic 3758
  Sol, 15 Cuthbertson St., Broadmeadows Vic 3047, (03) 309 1559, (057) 86 5569

  Clubs without Grounds
  ---------------------
  Metro East NLC P.O.Box651 Croydon Vic 3136
  Southern Sun Club, 69 Northcote Rd Armadale Vic 3143 (03) 826 1380

  Resorts
  -------
  River Valley Nudist Resort, P.O.Box 227, Echuca Vic. 3564, (054) 835250
  Border River, Private Bag 75, Kerang Vic 3579
  Wyanda Park, P.O.Box 206, Tongala Vic. 3621
  Wairaine Sunschool, RMB 2543 Yandoit Creek Rd,
   Yandoit Via Daylseford, Vic 3460 (054) 76 4362

  Swim Nights
  -----------
  Southern Sun Club
  Metro East Nudist Leisure Club

  Dress Optional Beaches
  ----------------------
  Sunnyside North      (Port Philip Bay)    Legal
  Campbells Cove       (Port Philip Bay)    Legal
  Point Impossible     (West coast)         Legal
  Southside            (West coast)         Legal
  Cathedral Rock       (West coast)         Unofficial
  Shelley Beach        (Portland)           Unofficial
  Narrawong            (Portland)           Unofficial
  Somers               (Westernport Bay)    Unofficial
  Shoreham             (Westernport Bay)    Unofficial
  Venus Bay            (Gippsland)          Unofficial
  Shelley Beach        (East Gippsland)     Unofficial
  Cape Conran          (East Gippsland)     Unofficial
  Quarry Beach         (East Gippsland)     Unofficial
  Tocumwal             (Murray River)       Legal
   [Original from Greg Stroot (greg.stroot@eng.monash.edu.au)]


  AUSTRALIA, NEW SOUTH WALES

  Clubs with Grounds
  ------------------
  Heritage (Aust) Naow Herita, P.O.Box 3, Campbelltown NSW 2560
  Rosco Inc., P.O.Box 45, Toronto NSW 2283
  Kiata Country Club, P.O.Box 164, Wilberforce, NSW 2756
  ACT Nudist Club Inc., P.O. Box 242, Woden ACT 2606, (062) 38 1512
  Naturi Sun & Health Club, P.O Box 11, Petersham NSW 2049, (02) 605 9801

  Clubs without Grounds
  ---------------------
  Sydney Social & Sun Club, P.O Box 100, Dulwich Hill, NSW 2203
  Albury Wodonga Nudist Leisure Group, P.O. Box 177, Albury, NSW 2640
  Illawarra Nudist Leisure Group, P.O. Box 168, Figtree, NSW 2525

  Resorts
  -------
  River Island Nature Retreat, P.O.Box 456, Mittagong, NSW 2575,
   (048) 889236 (048) 889242
  Bardots Nude Holiday Village, P.O. Box 608, Nelson Bay, NSW 2315,
   (049) 82 2000


  Swim Nights
  -----------
  Sydney Social & Sun Club
  Illawarra Nudist Leisure Group
  ACT Nudist Club

  Dress Optional Beaches
  ----------------------
  Kambah Pool          (ACT)                Legal
  Lady Jane Beach      (Sydney Harbour)     Legal
  Reef Beach           (Sydney Harbour)     Legal
  Obelisk Bay          (Sydney Harbour)     Unofficial
  Cobblers Bay         (Sydney Harbour)     Unofficial
  Washaway Beach       (Sydney Harbour)     Unofficial
  Store Beach          (Sydney Harbour)     Unofficial
  Little Congwong      (Southern Suburbs)   Unofficial
  Jibbon Beach         (Southern Suburbs)   Unofficial
  Maitland Bay         (Northern Suburbs)   Unofficial
  Bullman Beach        (Northern Suburbs)   Unofficial
  Werrong              (South Coast W'gong) Legal
  Wombarra             (South Coast W'gong) Unofficial
  Fairy Meadow         (South Coast W'gong) Unofficial
  North Windang Beach  (South Coast W'gong) Unofficial
  Jervis Bay           (South Coast Nowra)  Legal
  Murrays Beach        (South Coast Nowra)  Unofficial
  Caves Beach          (South Coast Nowra)  Unofficial
  Myrtle Beach         (South Coast)        Unofficial
  Richmond Beach       (South Coast)        Unofficial
  Aerodrome Beach      (South Coast)        Unofficial
  Haywards Beach       (South Coast)        Unofficial
  Three Brothers Beach (South Coast)        Unofficial
  Moon Bay             (South Coast)        Unofficial
  Bournda Beach        (South Coast)        Unofficial
  Tura Head Beach      (South Coast)        Unofficial
  Merimbula Point      (South Coast)        Unofficial
  Birdie Beach         (Newcastle)          Legal
  Ghosties Beach       (Newcastle)          Unofficial
  Redhead Beach        (Newcastle)          Unofficial
  Dudley Beach         (Newcastle)          Unofficial
  Burwood Beach        (Newcastle)          Unofficial
  Susan Gilmour Beach  (Newcastle)          Unofficial
  Nobby's Beach        (Newcastle)          Unofficial
  Stockton Beach       (Newcastle)          Unofficial
  Samurai Point        (North Coast)        Legal
  Shelly Beach         (North Coast)        Unofficial
  Pebbly Beach         (North Coast)        Unofficial
  Miners Beach         (North Coast)        Unofficial
  Queens Head Beach    (North Coast)        Unofficial
  Middle Head Beach    (North Coast)        Unofficial
  Boambee Beach        (North Coast)        Unofficial
  Bundageree Beach     (North Coast)        Unofficial
  Wenonah Beach        (North Coast)        Unofficial
  Little Diggers Beach (North Coast)        Unofficial
  Moonee Beach         (North Coast)        Unofficial
  Kings Beach          (North Coast)        Unofficial
  Fingal Beach         (North Coast)        Unofficial
   [Original from Greg Stroot (greg.stroot@eng.monash.edu.au)]


  AUSTRALIA, QUEENSLAND

  State Organisations
  -------------------
  Nudist Association of Queensland (NAV)
  P.O.Box 442
  Woodridge Qld. 4114

  Free Beach Association of Queensland
  PO BOX 5526
  Mail centre
  Gold Coast Qld. 4217
   [Original from Greg Stroot (greg.stroot@eng.monash.edu.au)]


  AUSTRALIA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

  SWANBOURNE BEACH, Australia's premier official nude beach, enjoys a
  metropolitan location just 20 minutes from the heart of Perth.  On
  weekends the crowd has been known to reach 1000, or about half that if
  a good weekday, with roughly 90% of beachgoers unclad.  Swanbourne's
  nudist section is an expanse of white sand about 2km long and wider
  than two football fields, backed by grassy dunes and well screened from
  adjacent suburbia by a fenced reserve of bushland.

  Access is easy.  Drive to the end of Grant St, and park at the
  Swanbourne-Nedlands surf club.  Then it's but a short stroll north
  along the beach to the nude area.  Parking is free, and on weekends the
  carpark does fill early.  If travelling by public transport, the 207 bus
  from outside Perth post office will drop you right at the surf club; or
  catch the train and get out at Grant St station.  From here it's a direct
  1km walk west along Grant St till you hit the beach.  Alternatively, you
  can walk in from other beaches -- Swanbourne is the name for but a short
  midsection of Perth's endless miles of unbroken sandy ocean foreshore.

  Food and drinks are available from the surf club kiosk, which remains
  open until sunset.  For the convenience of those not wishing to don
  clothes for a walk to the kiosk, a colourful motorcycle vendor with
  trailer in tow purrs back and forth along the sand at roughly 45 min
  intervals, selling ice-cream, refreshments, sandwiches and snack food
  to the starving throng.  Beach volleyball is played in the middle of
  the sand, on a court permanently marked out by corner pegs and poles
  all fixed in buried concrete.

  Situated well below the Tropics, the azure Indian Ocean waters which
  lap Perth's shoreline are free of stingers and dangerous jellyfish, so
  swimming and body surfing are the order of the day.   Despite its open
  ocean panorama, Swanbourne generally has only a gentle surf, and this
  together with safe, gently sloping sand makes it an ideal wading beach
  for youngsters.  Toilets and a shower block (cold water) are provided
  at the surf club building at the car park.

  The undoubted highlight of Perth's nude calendar is the Swanbourne
  Olympics, a family fun day of games and competitions (tug-o-war,
  3-legged race, best bum award, etc.) held annually at the height of
  summer.  The date in mid-Feb to mid-Mar is always set well in advance,
  though organizers are ready to reschedule the event should the weather
  turn against them on the day.

  Nudists who are accustomed to wearing nothing but a smile at the beach
  are warned to respect the Australian sun, and to wear a shady hat,
  protective UV sunscreen, and to avoid sunbaking while the sun is at
  its zenith.   The red lobster look has never been fashionable in WA!
  Overseas visitors sometimes fail to appreciate the vast size of this
  continent (it's as big as the USA).
   [Original from "anonymous"]

     Richard M. Mathews   D efend
      E stonian-Latvian-Lithuanian
    richard@West.Sun.COM    I ndependence
