Blogger in the Buff in Australia - Kings Beach, NSW

Looking for a secluded beach surrounded by a tropical rainforest where you can swim and sunbathe sans clothing? Look no further. Kings Beach, which is part of the Broken Head Nature Reserve offers breathtaking natural scenery with a hint of aboriginal history too.

Where is Kings Beach and how do I get there?

Kings Beach is in northern New South Wales, Australia just south of the touristy beach town of Byron Bay. Byron Bay is the easternmost point in Australia and is known for its protected bay and resort town amenities with a small town feel. Popular with teen backpackers and families Byron Bay is a great hopping off point to visit many fine beaches, including a few nudist beaches.

From Byron Bay head south on Pacific Highway just past the small town of Suffolk Park. Turn left at the easy to miss turnoff for the Broken Head Caravan (RV) Park. Just before entering the Caravan Park there will be a road to the right directing you towards the Nature Reserve and Seven Mile Beach. Take the road, which is paved for about a second and then turns to gravel and dirt for about the next mile. At the end of the road is a small car park, no charge and no security. There are no amenities at the car park or the beach so be prepared with sunscreen and water. But keep your items to a minimum, the path to the beach is about a half mile of steep steps, which you will have to climb on the return trip.

Along the path a few benches are provided to rest or take in the natural beauty of the rainforest and the beach beyond. Set the locals at ease by saying a passing "Hello" or "G'day." Enjoy the sounds of the birds singing and the lizards chirping as you descend down the well maintained steps of dirt and wooden planks in anticipation of the refreshing salt water that calls to you from below.

As you step onto the beach, look at the rock outcrops known as the Two Sisters which spawned the legend of the Bundjalung people. Where two sisters went swimming in the strong surf of the bay. One was caught in the current and the other sister was also swept away while attempting to rescue her beloved sister. Let this be a warning to all that the swimming may be refreshing, but the surf is strong and can be dangerous.

http://www.capebyron.com/kingsbeach/kings_440.jpg

Now enjoy the crescent cove of Kings Beach, flanked by rocks and fringed with the trees of the rainforest.

Kings Beach is well known as a gay nude beach, however single men, gay couples, and straight couples can all be found happily coexisting in this stunning setting. Most of the beach goers tend to keep to themselves, either scattered about the beach on towels or shaded beneath the trees at the edge of the beach. Gay websites will reveal that there are trails in the bush (forest) where cruising takes place, so be aware that it does exist, however if this lone social activity occurred during our visit, it went unnoticed by us.

Enjoy the scenery, play in the water, sit on the rocks, then end the day with the return climb back through the rainforest and the short drive back to civilization.  

Blogger in the Buff goes to Australia

Ah yes, the land down under where kangaroos and koalas can be found as well as some white sand - clothes free beaches. If one could spend spring and summer in the United States and fall and winter in Australia, life would be wonderful. I didn't get to spend the entire winter in Australia, but I did get to visit a few spots for a few weeks in Eastern Australia this winter, (Australia's summer). I will share in my next few posts some details and pictures of the places I visited with my husband. Of course, we didn't get to spend a lot of time at each spot nor did we get to visit a lot of places, but hopefully we can introduce you to the places we went and give you our perspective based on the time we were there. So get ready to read a few tidbits about Kings Beach, North Belongil Beach, Ti-Tree Lake, and Alexandria Bay.

Someone asked awhile back if people were friendly or disengaged when encountered on the path to a clothing optional beach? In Australia, we found that few people will initiate a greeting on the path, but when greeted all were smiling and friendly. Once on the beach, nudists and textiles alike may share the same stretch of beach, with the textiles understanding that they may encounter naked beach goers. Nudists tended to keep to themselves by hanging out under the shade of trees that fringed the beaches. Again, most people would not initiate a conversation, but were friendly and responsive if you took the first step.

From the beaches we visited, we can determine that generally in this part of the country the sand is soft and fine, shells are few, the water is quickly comfortable but can be rough, and shade is found in the treelined edges of the beaches. Each beach or location has something different to offer. Couples are not as plentiful as single men, but the creep factor while it does exist does not seem to be a major problem.

Australia enjoys some legal nude beaches and some unofficial nude beaches. Australians are generally more open minded about nudity than Americans, but conservatism still exists and is a concern for the local nudist associations, such as the Australian Naturist Federation.

Obnoxious or just different?

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Is Naturism the cure for Depression?

Work, kids, housework, family drama, you name it and the stresses of life just keep coming. In my household we're not lucky enough to be full time nudists so the weekdays, and sometimes weekends, between visits to our local naturist resort can be truly long suffering. Moods are blue, voices can be snappy and grumpy. Depression is surely the prognosis of the deep funk some of us can sink into. So what's the one thing that we look forward to? The one thing that keeps us from pulling the trigger or jumping off a cliff? Yes, that's right it's our brief visits to our nudist resort where we can throw off our stresses, relax, and visit with our friends. Have I mentioned before that friends made in a naturist environment tend to become really great lifetime friends? Well, when you meet people who are stripped of their garments you get to know the real person inside. This may mean that you will need to keep an open mind and be very accepting of people for who they are, not being concerned with idiosyncrasies that may find your judgmental mind speaking up. Squelch that voice and like your friends who are completely exposed body and soul. That vulnerability and acceptance, I think also helps you to accept yourself which may be another key to overcoming Depression. I definitely find that the more time we spend naked, the happier we are.

Work Gets in the Way of "Naked Time"

Wow, work has been crazy lately. Not that it's ever not crazy, but between work and my personal "to do" list, I haven't had what my husband calls "naked time" in quite awhile and not nearly often enough. I'm definitely hoping that this weekend will allow for some "naked time." It's amazing how a weekend of "naked time" outdoors can truly help us slough off the stresses of work and life. I'm so glad we found this outlet for our stress. Not to mention all of the wonderful friends we have made in our "naked community." With travel for work and travel for family obligations, before you know it the summer is over and the warm days available to be naked outdoors start to diminish, so I need to schedule in my "naked time" these days. Those of you who can be naked full-time should consider yourselves very lucky. For the rest of us, we're counting down the days until our next naked weekend.

To buy or not to buy

We have a resort that we visit as regularly as possible. We typically tent camp, but my body reminds me in the mornings that it's time to get out of a tent. So our options are to rent a trailer from the resort based on availability, buy a trailer and store it on site, or buy a permanent site. How fun would that be to own a permanent site? We could really feel like a part of the community and we could leave everything at our site already set up so we when pulled in all we would have to do is walk in. Of course it's not that easy is it? There's finding the right site and determining the right price to pay and of course there are rules and politics, and lots of it. So for now we are looking for a small trailer to store and use when we're there. We're not quite ready to commit to a full time residence when we are only part timers. Especially when we don't want to feel obligated to visit the one place all the time. We want to visit many places, different types and in different locations. See my original story about Nudist Colonies.

Nudist Vacations - Expensive Luxury or Naturally Cheap?

When you think of going on a nudist vacation, what first comes to mind for you? Do you think of staying at a quality hotel in a far away locale dedicated to nudists where you can sip frozen cocktails by the pool? Instead, do you picture yourself backpacking down a steep goat trail to a hidden portion of a beach with no facilities and only what camping gear you brought with you? Is there a favorite vacation of yours that falls in between these two scenarios? Many options are available to vacationing nudists. First you have to determine what kind of nudist you are.

http://writingasjoe.blogspot.com/2007/10/all-them-naked-women.html

The true nature lover.
You want to be one with nature and you are physically fit so hiking, rock scrambling, and packing in supplies long distances are not a challenge but a welcome adventure. You are the naturist that can get by fairly inexpensively by visiting beautiful, yet remote, beaches, lakes, forests, and deserts where you can let it all hang out in natural surroundings, as long as you don't get injured and need to be evacuated via helicopter to the nearest hospital.

http://www.hiddenbeachresort.com/en/

The laid back in luxury nudist.
Your idea of getting close to nature is just being naked. Your inner athlete is on vacation too, so while you may indulge in team sports such as tennis or volleyball, your main priority is easy access to amenities, a comfortable mattress at night, and a lounge chair with your name on it. You work hard during the week and have earned the money to spend on vacations that take you to someplace far away, but still allows you to be nude by the pool or on the beach. You want gourmet cuisine, mixed drinks, and hotel staff to cater to your every need. The longest walk you might experience is from your room to the pool where you can nap on a lounge chair to your hearts content.

These vacationers are extreme examples, but none the less, true to life characters. There are different types of vacationers and vacation options that fall in between these. But I'm finding that the opportunity to vacation naked is becoming increasingly a wealthy person's prerogative. Especially since I'm not part billy goat and I don't have a stand alone house with a private backyard where I can lounge freely at my own discretion.

Nudist Clubs require a membership fee, plus a daily use fee, plus a nightly fee.  Wow the fees are starting to stack up just to lounge around naked by a pool without offending anyone. What if I want to visit a different nudist club. While a first visit is usually offered at no charge, don't expect to be able to frequent various clubs without paying some astronomical fees to each.
Examples:
http://gleneden.com/fees/
http://www.lupin.com/members.html#choices
http://www.lagunadelsol.com/membership__daily_rates.html


Nudist Hotels can vary in price and amenities but many offer all inclusive options at again astronomical rates per person per night. Beware too, that you need to check if the hotel encourages behavior that might not be your cup of tea. It's definitely worthwhile to discuss with previous vacationers, your Nudist Travel Agents, or directly with the hotel what types of adult activities will be available and/or what events may be planned for the time frame of your visit? You could be in for a big surprise if you show up with the kids in tow and there's some friendly love swapping going on in the pool.
http://travelbuff.net/
http://www.castawaystravel.com/

http://www.escape-bvi.com/content/Charters_Crewed/Endless_Summer_II.png

Nude Cruises can be a fun option. But sign up fast. Those less expensive cabins go fast, usually before you even get the advertisement. Even the expensive cabins go quickly as this is a popular vacation alternative and the number of people included is typically kept to a smaller number. Again, check first before signing up for one of these vacations so you know what type of activities to expect and the level of party hearty attitude to bring with you.

Personally, I'm looking forward to my own upcoming vacation. I don't have to get on a plane, just a two hour drive. There's a kitchen so I can prepare my own meals or eat out as I please. No hiking required, although I would like to participate in some physical activity other than walking from my lounge chair to the pool for a cooling respite from the heat. Bathrooms, fresh towels, and a shower are nearby and all for the trade of some of my hard earned money. But then, that's why I'm going on vacation in the first place. That and I don't have to wear any clothes.