Nude beach wins one-year reprieve

Jane Emerick
Nudists at Point Impossible are safe to go naked for another 12 months.
Surf Coast Shire will monitor the accused meeting point for gay sex as authorities implement measures to prevent obscene behaviour at the beach and in its adjacent dunes.
Councillors voted this week to retain the beach’s clothingoptional status while the measures were put in place.
Participants at a workshop in January, including councillors, shire officers and Greater Ocean Road Coast Committee, agreed to actions such installation of keepout signs at the dunes and police patrols of the beach.
Nudist group representatives at the workshop also called on members to flush out people meeting for sex in the dunes.
Councillor Ron Humphrey, who led the push to change the status of the beach, said it was up to workshop stakeholders to live up to their promises of stopping “appalling” behaviour at Point Impossible.
“The commitment has been made by nudists, the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee and the police to monitor and patrol the beach,” Cr Humphrey said.
In November council asked thenPlanning Minister Rob Hulls to remove the beach’s clothingoptional status. However, Mr Hulls instead asked council to run more public consultation, which led to the workshop.
Other outcomes of the workshop included plans for dune restoration works at Point Impossible and Surf Coast Shire providing police with a fourwheeldrive vehicle to patrol the beach.
Torquay councillor Keith Grossman supported this week’s resolution to give Point Impossible another year before a final recommendation to the Planning Minister.
“I think this a great idea,” he said.
“It gives police and GORCC a chance to show they are fair dinkum.”