PELICAN Point nude swimmers will finally have a new home on the shores of Lake Bonney, after reaching an agreement with Berri Barmera Council and the River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation (RMMAC).
Last year, the Pelican Point User Group (PPUG) was moved from their traditional area, which was subject to Native Title, by council to a new site that was deemed unsuitable for use due to a lack of beach front and accessibility.
However, at council’s September ordinary meeting, after months of discussion with the PPUG and the RMMAC, elected members passed amendments to council’s unclad bathing policy that will see the nude swimmers move to a different section of beach front about 500m north of their current location.
PPUG member Garry Cornish said the user group and council were “working together as a team” to make the new area suitable for use.
“We’re going to work together now as a team, and they are going to peg out the area that they want to fence off, and then we will go from there,” he said.
“We still have the beach front, so that’s not a problem, we just need to work out where we can walk.
“There’s finally light at the end of the tunnel at last after four years.”
Berri Barmera Council CEO Karyn Burton said council had been “liaising off and on” with the PPUG to reach a solution.
“We met with RMMAC directors and representatives of the Pelican Point User Group on site because the area that was previously provided for unclad bathing was quite unsuitable for swimming and has been blocked off because of its cultural significance,” she said
“RMMAC approved the new location at its last meeting, and council have now endorsed it in their policy.
“We will now work with the user group on works in that location… and see if we can access grant funding for fencing, revegetation, signage and other things to ensure the areas that RMMAC have pointed out as significant areas are protected.”
RMMAC director Fiona Giles said the corporation was “very happy” with the outcome and would work to ensure cultural sites in the area are preserved.
“It was good that we all went there together and we actually could work out where the best spot is,” she said.
“We didn’t want to seal off the whole area, we just had to fine tune exactly which area was okay for them to use.
“I understand why they want to be there – it is a very secluded area, which is why it was used as an Aboriginal campground.
“I’m just glad that we have finally come to an agreement.”