BYRON SHIRE Council and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) are passing the buck over who should take responsibility for alerting the public about the nude beach at Tyagarah.
In the past month alone several people have been sexually propositioned in the middle of the day, including a 28-year-old tourist who had to run for help after being indecently assaulted by a partially clothed man in his 50s.
A NPWS spokeswoman said while the Tyagarah Nature Reserve was managed by the agency, the clothes-optional strip of coastline was the council’s domain.
“NPWS is aware of complaints and alleged assaults in the area and undertakes daily patrols of Tyagarah Nature Reserve. We work closely with police,” she said.
“NPWS has approved Byron Shire Council to place signs on the nature reserve approach to the council-managed beach advising that clothing is optional.”
The council denied the beach was their responsibility, pushing it back on the NPWS.
“The beach to the north of Belongil at Tyagarah is a clothes-optional beach. The beach at Tyagarah is part of the Tyagarah Nature Reserve which is managed by the (NPWS),” a council spokeswoman said.
“Council has asked NPWS to consider erecting signs at the beach to inform people it is a clothes-optional area.”
Another woman in her 20s was walking through a bush track nearby Tyagarah beach about 1.30pm two weeks ago when a 54-year-old naked man with an erection came up behind her.
He is accused of aggressively sexually propositioning her before grabbing her breasts.
The man was charged with assault and committing an act of indecency and will appear in Byron Bay Local Court this week.
“Members of the public have made complaints, particularly about the Gray’s Lane area,” Tweed Byron Local Area Command Detective Superintendent Wayne Starling said.
“It’s well known to us as a haunt for particular members of the community,” he said.
Story by News Ltd.
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The Beach at Tyagarah specifically at the Eastern end of Grays lane encompassing the Tyagarah Nature Reserve was part of my Ordinance compliance duties when employed by National Parks & Wildlife Service until they retired me in 2013. Reminding visitors that the car- park area was not clothes optional was a constant part of my daily duties plus enforcing Parking rules. Obscene behavior was common during times of high visitation, i was attacked their and had bottles thrown at me by off duty National Park indigenous staff whilst attending a Rave Party in 2010, i can see why they would love to hand the buck back to Council, Law Enforcement is not Parks strongest asset.