Naked Sandon protest
August 16, 2007
Section: Community
NO PIC
MORE than 100 people will get naked in broad daylight at Bulli on Saturday to promote local activist Jill Walker's attempt to prevent the development of Sandon Point.
Local Save Sandon Point supporter Kate Morris organised the nude gathering, and said 161 'concerned nudes', including 88 local residents, will converge on Sandon Point on Saturday.
The aim will be to raise awareness of the Save Sandon Point Art Exhibition and Auction at the Mori Gallery in Sydney on August 27.
The exhibition has been organised to raise money for Jill Walker's court case against NSW Minister for Planning Frank Sartor to stop plans for the development of Sandon Point.
The strategy of Saturday's protest is for the naked participants to use their unclad bodies to spell out the protest slogan, Ms Morris said.
"What we're going to try and do is spell out 'Save Sandon Point' with the nude people," she said.
Ms Morris, of North Wollongong, said there was a reason for getting naked on Sandon Point aside from the obvious shock value.
She said the nudity of the protestors will reflect the vulnerability of the area that is being targeted for
development.
"It's to promote that we really need to get naked and get down with Sandon Point and the court case is the last stand," she said.
"If we lose this we lose Sandon Point."
A Spokesman for Wollongong Police could not comment specifically on the Sandon Point protest but said in general terms the police can take action if complaints about public nudity are made.
Ms Morris said some of the 'concerned nudes', including herself, were willing to thumb their nose at the authorities if it came down to a confrontation.
"I'm prepared to get arrested for being nude for Sandon Point," she said.
Despite her recent swing toward exhibitionism Ms Morris said she hasn't been a major player in the Save Sandon Point movement until recently.
"I've never been mover and shaker," she said, adding that she has "always been a bit cheeky" ever since she was young.
To make a donation to the Sandon Point cause or submit an artwork to be auctioned at the exhibition please call 0423341781.