It’s a Tuesday morning, the infinite blue sky of Byron Bay has opened up and the six naturists – four men, two women – have stripped down to their birthday suits for a quick dip in the buff.
This section of beach – an 800-metre stretch along the vast coastline – forms the only legal clothing-optional beach in the shire. Among those taking advantage of the opportunity to be out in the open is Duncan James, vice-president of Northern Rivers Naturists, who is something of an evangelist for “embracing the beach as Mother Nature intended.”
“Many of the beach users have described the clothing-optional beach as their happy place, a place where they can disconnect from modern day stresses, a place they can feel at one with nature,” he says.
There is, however, a metaphorical cloud on the horizon. On Sunday, Tyagarah is set to be stripped of its status as an official clothing-optional beach.
“I guess these values aren’t shared by New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service [NPWS], who are hell-bent on closing one of Byron’s last alternative community hubs and experiences,” James says.
Playalinda beach on the space coast, near Titusville and next to the launch pads. Last parking lot is clothing optional. Really clean and natural beach. Also great for watching rocket launches, if they keep the beach open for it.
(The structures in the distance are rocket launch towers, it’s legitimately the closest you can get.)
Hang on, are you saying that at Playalinda, one could watch a rocket launch and be naked at the same time?
Yes, however the nude section is the furthest parking lot, which is 4 miles north of where this was taken. Still a spectacle and much closer than most people will see a rocket launch, but if you came to see a launch then you probably want to be as close as possible
I’ve never had the opportunity to go to Playalinda, but I do really miss Paradise Beach before the tourists found out about it.