Byron Bay is a popular resort town on the far northern coast of New South Wales, within an hour's drive of the border with Queensland. The town is next to Cape Byron, a headland that is the most easterly point of mainland Australia. Going north from Cape Byron, there are a couple of adjacent beaches separated by small outcroppings next to the town of Byron Bay, then there is a long and continuous beach that extends northward more than 10 kilometers to the mouth of the Brunswick River. Most of this vast stretch is known as Belongil Beach, and most of it is within Tyagarah Nature Reserve. Part of Belongil Beach (roughly shaded in red) was officially designated as clothing optional in 1998. The nude section is often referenced as North Belongil or sometimes as Tyagarah.

When you arrive at the pinpointed "pay-and-display" parking lot, you'll be at the far northern end of the nude area, which extends south about 2 kilometers. Going south, the nude area ends in the vicinity of a golf course that is on the north end of Byron Bay. Nudity also occurs north of the parking lot, but be advised that this part of the beach is outside the designated nude zone and nudity is not technically legal. Belongil Beach is one of two established nude beaches in the Byron Bay area. The other one, Kings Beach, is on the south side of Byron Bay about 22 kilometers from Belongil. Kings Beach is a a mostly gay beach, while Belongil draws a more mixed crowd. The nude area of Belongil is sufficiently large that the beach never gets crowded.

The access road to the North Belongil parking lot passes between two small freshwater lakes called the Tyagarah Tea Tree Lakes. The smaller of these two lakes, on the north side of the road, is open to the public, while the other has been fenced off and closed. The smaller lake is a quiet and secluded swimming spot that is a favorite with those is the know, and the water is warmer than the water in the ocean. Nude swimming is very common and well accepted. As you are heading to the beach parking lot, take note of the point where the road veers leftward and becomes unpaved. Continue about 200 to 250 meters farther and you'll see a broad trail leads off to the left. There are likely to be parked cars to let you know you've found it. The short path leads to the lake.

more info from Free Beaches Australia (scroll down to North Belongil Beach)

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GPS: -28.6110, 153.5808

town, state, country
  Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia

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