Spy eyes on beach ‘perverts’

Alex de Vos
Hidden cameras will spy on a controversial nude beach to help weed out “sexual predators”, according to a Surf Coast community group.
Surf Coast Community and Ratepayers Association’s Les Tyack said authorities planned to have the surveillance cameras in place at Point Impossible before October.
Mr Tyack said Surf Coast Shire and Great Ocean Road Coast Committee would install the cameras as part of an ongoing bid to crack down on “unsavory” activities at Point Impossible.
The beach came under fire in 2006 after residents complained about men using the dunes to meet for sex. Residents believed men were using the beach’s clothing-optional status as a cover for sexual activity.
Surf Coast Shire council later asked State Government to revoke the beach’s clothing-optional status.
However, the Government wrote back asking council to run further investigations over 12 months to determine whether it wanted to proceed with the ban on nude bathing.
Mr Tyack said the camera plan emerged at a meeting of community representatives running the investigations.
“It was decided that the cameras would be set up in the car park so predators would have a second thought about causing trouble in the dunes,” Mr Tyack said.
“The area needs to be continually monitored because a lot of unsavory behaviour goes on in the sand dunes.”