TOP 10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT NORTHSIDE COUNTRY CLUB*

– By Betty

Flicking through the TAN magazine one day, I came across an advertisement for Northside Country Club. To further assist in my quest for the naked truth, I approached my husband about visiting. He enthusiastically agreed. I had been to other naturist retreats before, around Australia and overseas, but never a nudist club in our hometown of Victoria. But it was January 1st, the beginning of a new year, my mind was open and willing to try anything once.

The day for our visit arrived, I recall it was a perfect summer day and we were itching to strip out of our clothes. As a first-time visitor of Northside, we were warmly greeted by a long-standing club member who escorted us around, introduced us to fellow nudists and showed us the facilities. We immediately felt at home. One visit quickly turned into three, and shortly thereafter we were members.

As I dig deeper into this wondrous lifestyle, here are some of the top things I love about Northside Country Club.

1. You will meet some lovely people.

It’s true, at Northside you will find some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. These people love the naturist lifestyle and are completely comfortable with who they are and have nothing to hide (both literally and figuratively).

You will immediately feel at ease. The club offers an inclusive safe space for people to escape everyday stresses, to have a great time and express themselves within a vibrant community of open-minded and non-judgemental naturists from all walks of life. There is a range of ages, sizes and types; from business executives, professionals and trades people, to the self-employed and retired folks. It is a friendly, supportive, and respectful environment with zero pressure.

2. You are welcome to visit.

Visitors from all over Australia and the world who enjoy the naturist lifestyle are welcome — either for a day visit or longer. Northside is couples, family, and singles friendly (the club tries to keep a gender balance on membership and visits on event weekends), so you should always feel safe and comfortable, even as a first timer. If you are trying naturism for the first time, this is a no-pressure opportunity to find out what so many have already discovered. Everyone is open and eager to welcome visitors and you are guaranteed to make new friends straight away.

If you are visiting, there is a variety of affordable accommodation to suit visitor’s needs, including The Cabin, The Windsor (‘Van on the Hill’) as well as non-powered and powered camping sites. After a few visits, you are free to enquire about membership and getting your very own site.

3. You don’t need to bring much.

At Northside members and visitors have year-round access to the club house, games room, BBQ area, amenities block, solar heated pool, tennis and pétanque court and much more.

The large fully equipped club house includes a kitchen, pool table, darts, wood heater, television and reading library. Who seriously doesn’t love a game or “nude pool” or “nude darts”?

The BBQ and picnic area comprises of gas BBQ facilities – there is even an open fire pit for ‘spit roast’ cooking and custom-made wood fired pizza oven.

If you like something a bit more active, you can play a game of tennis or pétanque or shoot hoops. If physical exertion doesn’t appeal, you can take a dip in the solar heated pool or lounge by the pool’s deck area.

4. You will get excited when you hear ‘Happy Hour’.

Every social weekend features different events, but come 5:30 pm and Happy Hour begins. This is when members and visitors gather around with their choice of bevvies to mingle, laugh, and share stories.
Regardless of the celebration, our Northside Social Club is dedicated to showing you a great time. There are activities such as shared dinners, campfire gatherings, pool, darts, book club and more. So far this year we have enjoyed live music, had pool parties, played tennis tournaments and ‘bush pétanque’ to name a few. You might even be treated to freshly baked scones from our infamous “Scone Queen”.
For upcoming events, check out www.northsideclub.org.au/our-events

5. You can immerse yourself in nature.

With 70 acres of stunning Australian bushland and unspoiled wilderness, you are welcome to roam around and explore the bush walking tracks with breathtaking views of the valley. Enjoy kicking back amongst the wildlife. You’ll see plenty of native birds, perhaps even a kangaroo or two.
Northside grounds are secluded and private, it is a wonderful place to relax and unwind amongst nature.

6. You are centrally located in a picturesque valley.

Located only 90 minutes from Melbourne in a picturesque valley studded with ancient granite boulders, this part of Central Victoria has a reputation for its beautiful landscape and outstanding food and wine.

In close vicinity are notable wineries. The local historical heritage-listed pub has an onsite brewery and offers delicious country style pub meals. A few of us can’t go past the rabbit pie which is a highlight.

7. You can keep yourself toasty warm.

In this part of Victoria, yes you may rightly wonder, it can get chilly. As much as we love to embrace nudism, we naturists are not foolish — if it’s cold, we wear clothes or better still, we gather around wood fires to keep toasty warm. What is amazing is that everyone is looking for a good time and people’s spirits never seem to wane, even in the cooler months.

8. You will embrace a culture of wellbeing.

Naturism at Northside promotes body positivity and a sense of mental and emotional wellbeing. It is a way of life that will help you to appreciate your body exactly how it is, helps tune you into self-acceptance and be more deeply connected with yourself and the world around you. You will find that being naked in the countryside is one of the most liberating, relaxing, rewarding, and rejuvenating experiences.
The bonus is that wandering around freely is a chance for you to work on your tan without tan lines.

9. You are part of a long history.

Northside was founded in 1959 and is one of the oldest members owned and operated nudist clubs in Australia. You are sure to come across new and long-standing members, some who proudly boast having been with the club for decades! Everyone has a story to tell.

You will feel the warmth and embrace of the Northside spirit, especially when everyone sings their hearts out to the ‘Northside Anthem’ (a tailor-made nudist anthem).

10. You will have a great time.

Bottom line is that Northside is a place for people who love the naturist lifestyle. It offers a wonderful combination of natural beauty and well-equipped facilities, everything you need to relax and enjoy life naturally.

From my experience of having visited nudist clubs and resorts around the world, this is a club that is extremely well run, and you will find yourself meeting some wonderful open-minded and accepting people. I’ve come to the conclusion, and so will you, what is there not to love about Northside?

For more information
Visit: www.northsideclub.org.au
Phone: 03 4420 4725 or Mobile: 0439 44 66 20
Email: info@northsideclub.org.au

 

• – excerpt from TAN issue #100, used with permission