Everything You Wanted To Know About Sydney’s Gay Nude Beaches

So you’re visiting Sydney and need to blow away those cobwebs! It’s time to get some sun on those rudie nudie bits – step out of your comfort zone and check out the rainbow flag-flying and umm, at times, very friendly clothing-optional beaches in Sydney.

Switch off that internal monologue that says it’s naughty to take your clothes off in public.  The sense of self-esteem that comes from letting it all hang out, realising that no one is looking at you because they’re all too built to focus on their own insecurities, is life-affirming!

Lady Jane Beach

Check out the oldest nudist beach in Australia, Lady Jane Beach. It was officially designated as such in 1976 by Premier Neville Wran and has since been affectionately claimed by the gays, though you do get a mix of visitors enjoying some of the stunning views that Sydney has to offer.

Located at the end of the South Head peninsula, Lady Jane is not the most private of clothing-optional beaches. Regular tour buses pull up on the lookouts above for photo ops, so if you’re shy to start with, you might not appreciate the paparazzi treatment from the snap-happy tourists above.

The intrepid gay explorer could check out the slightly more secluded rocky shoreline, east of the beach for a different type of view – only for those who are a bit more comfortable with public displays and let’s leave it at that.

Obelisk Beach

Obelisk Beach, the other “main” gay-friendly beach and another of Sydney’s few legal nude beaches is a bit of a trek to get to but well worth it for the postcard-perfect views of Camp Cove and Parsley, Watsons and Vaucluse Bays over yonder.

If you’re very lucky and the ice-cream gods are smiling down on you, you might even get to experience the particular nostalgic joy of purchasing a  Calippo or Bubble O’Bill from the floating snack shack, also stocking other ideal refreshments for the setting.

Other types of eye candy are in abundance too and after you get over the initial fear of dis-robing, you can settle back behind the safety of mirrored sunglasses to just take in the sights – maybe even get brave yourself and do the strut down to the water’s edge, just so you could say you did!

The ‘enchanted forest’, the bush track leading to the beach itself has lots of wonders to discover if indeed one is in the mood to discover hidden treasures though tales tell of time lost in there and before you know it – you’re burned to a crisp because you were too busy running around to put sunscreen on!

There are numerous other unofficial gay beaches around Sydney and for the most part, respectful behaviour on the part of all beachcombers will ensure everyone has a good time with no unpleasantness to ruin anyone’s day.

This includes La Perouse, Little Congwong Beach at the end of Anzac Parade, Clovelly Beach, Tamarama Beach, fondly remembered as Glamarama back in its gay heydays in the 80s & 90s, Bronte Beach and North Bondi Beach for some impressive real peacock spotting.