Southern Free Beaches members cycle in a pack as part of the World Naked Bike Ride in Waitati in March this year. Photo / Supplied
Southern Free Beaches members cycle in a pack as part of the World Naked Bike Ride in Waitati in March this year. Photo / Supplied
The gloves are off for two feuding naturist clubs in Dunedin.
Orchard Sun Club vice-president Julie Haldane said the club, based in Sutton, about 7km south of Middlemarch, has 32 paying members, ranging in age between 45 and 86.
"We are growing older and there [are] no young ones comingthrough. We need more members."
Some members had "broken away" because of "animosity" and started the Southern Free Beaches club.
"They are very reluctant to change with the times."
Southern Free Beaches club was formed about a decade ago in Dunedin.
Up to 30 people — aged between late 30s and 70s — attended club events in Dunedin.
The club's events included a annual naturist retreat in Berwick, a monthly swim at Dunedin Physio Pool and a World Naked Bike Ride.
"It's an events-based activity — it's not about having grounds and telling people what they can do."
Southern Free Beaches advertises its club on sheds opposite the entrance to the Orchard Sun Club in Sutton. Photo / Shawn McAvinue
Dunedin is also home to another naturist club.
The Alpine Lakes president, who lives in Dunedin and asked not to be named because of privacy, said he had never belonged to a naturist club which owned its own grounds, a reason being those clubs "tend to get a little bit niggly about silly little things".
Southern Free Beaches' advertising at the entrance of Orchard Sun Club was "quite funny" but he preferred to avoid the "animosity" between the two Dunedin naturist clubs.
Naturists were generally easy-going, but every club had members who held different perspectives.
"Every club I've been in there's always been a niggle somewhere along the line.
