Queensland

Noosa's Alexandria Bay 'nude' beach fines spark protest

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Protesters have disrobed, partially, to push for the right to strip off completely on some of Queensland's beaches.

Noosa's Alexandria Bay has been an unofficial nude beach for decades but fines issued to skinny-dipping bathers regularly generate controversy.

In November's latest escalation, police confirmed they'd been patrolling the national park surrounded beach and had fined 11 men in recent weeks.

According to the Australian Sex Party, which organised the protest, about 40 people gathered outside Noosa Police Beat in "various states of undress" on Saturday  to fight for the right to enjoy the beach in the buff.

The local LNP member and nude beach opponent was targeted with an antagonistic buttock bulletin - "Glen Elmes kiss my arse" - but greeted the taunt with a laugh.

"He'll be waiting," Mr Elmes said.

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"I'd like to thank them for the free publicity.

"Noosa has a policy of not allowing billboard advertising in the community so I suppose I'm the first one to get it in a very unusual way."

Sex Party Queensland secretary Robin Bristow said police needed to change their attitude in the short term but legislative change was also needed to give councils the right to open up their beaches to nude bathing.

"Long term, we need to convince the state government to allow local governments to allocate legal nude bathing areas within their shires.

"The problem is that it's illegal in Queensland. Queensland's the only state in Australia that doesn't have legal nude bathing beaches."

Supporters of a move to legalise nude beaches are passionate but there isn't much political will in the conservative-dominated Sunshine Coast.

The move was "unanimously supported" by Noosa's Chamber of Commerce and "conditionally supported" by Queensland's chief business group, the Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

But Attorney-General Yvette D'ath was noncommittal in February, saying any request for change would need the broad support of the local community, as well as local government and state government representatives just to be considered.

Mr Elmes highlighted concerns with law and order, saying most people just wanted to get their kit off in peace but there were problems with "perverts" at the beach, saying that was what usually prompted the police action.

Noosa Mayor Tony Wellington didn't respond to calls but Councillor Jess Glasgow said legalising Alexandria Bay's nude status was more complicated than it appeared.

"If we're telling the whole of Australia, if not the whole world, to go here because it's a clothing optional beach there needs to be some level of lifeguards on duty," he said.

Both Cr Glasgow and Mr Elmes said the Noosa beach's isolation, such a large part of its attraction to nudists now, made it a poor choice for a legal beach.

The sex party claims the state is missing out on $40 million in tourism but Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind said he wanted to leave the issue up to local governments and wasn't concerned about missing out on visitors.

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