Obelisk Beach Explained

Obelisk Beach (part of Obelisk Bay) is a nude beach in Mosman, New South Wales, Australia.^[1] ^[2]

The beach is on the southern side of Middle Head in Sydney Harbour and is part of Sydney Harbour National Park.

History

Prior to European settlement in 1788, the area was inhabited by Indigenous Australians speaking the Guringai language. Aboriginal sites are found in the bushland all around Georges Head. The arrival of smallpox with European colonists meant that by 1795, the Aboriginal population on the northern side of Sydney Harbour had declined by as much as 90%.^[3]

In 1815, Governor Lachlan Macquarie dubbed Bungaree "Chief of the Broken Bay Tribe" and presented him with 15acres of land on Georges Head. He was also known by the titles "King of Port Jackson" and "King of the Blacks". Bungaree spent the rest of his life ceremonially welcoming visitors to Australia, educating people about Aboriginal culture (especially boomerang throwing), and soliciting tribute, especially from ships visiting Sydney. Bungaree and his family kept a fishing boat on the beach.^[4]

In the early 20th century, the beach was painted by artists such as Herbert Reginald Gallop, as well as being a popular site for picnics.

The beach is attended predominantly by homosexual men, and is considered a 'gay-friendly' beach by some.^[5] ^[6]

Notes and References

News: Bonnie . Malkin . Exposure test in new swing-free zone . 2005-10-28 . Sydney Morning Herald . 2007-04-21 . 14 October 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071014001853/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/exposure-test-in-new-swingfree-zone/2005/10/27/1130400311102.html . live .
Web site: 2023-11-03 . Obelisk Beach, Sydney ‣ Nude Beach Map . 2023-12-27 . en-US . 13 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231213232519/https://www.nudebeachmap.com/places/obelisk-beach/ . live .
Web site: North-coastal Sydney Aboriginal history. https://web.archive.org/web/20160331214610/http://historyofaboriginalsydney.edu.au/north-coastal. 2016-03-31.
Web site: The area near Obelisk Beach, Georges Head, where Bungaree kept his fishing boat. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221204/http://www.historyofaboriginalsydney.edu.au/north-coastal/area-near-obelisk-beach-georges-head-where-bungaree-kept-his-fishing-boat. 2016-03-03.
News: Gay Sydney Beaches . 2008-02-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080220213407/http://www.gaysydneyhotels.com/8GayFriendlyBeaches.htm. 20 February 2008. Park Lodge Hotel Website . 11 February 2022.
News: Dennis . Byrne . Excavating desire: queer heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region . 11 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120208091110/http://bangkok2005.anu.edu.au/papers/Byrne.pdf. 8 February 2012 .