Melbourne June 2008

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Melbourne June 2008

Winter Wonderland
Date: Friday 6 June 2008
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Union Club Hotel, corner of Gore & Webb Sts, Fitzroy

Ride Report

The riders had an enjoyable evening at the Union Club Hotel with several supporters in attendance. At about 10pm the riders retreated to the privacy of the secret venue where body paint was applied. All the riders wore body painted slogans promoting the virtues of clean green cycling peace over polluting black oil-driven aggression.

12 riders, 10 men and 2 women, most of who were naked, took to the streets of Fitzroy at midnight for the WNBR Winter Wonderland Melbourne 2008. Woolly accessories like furry backpacks with hot water bottles inside helped some of the riders keep the winter chills away. A few of the men complained of cold hands. All the riders were veterans of the Summer WNBR held on Sun 9 March 2008 in Melbourne and/or Confest enthusiasts.

This ride promised to avoid the discriminatory attention of the Police who made only the male riders dress in Summer. The sneaky organising tactics worked and the riders avoided the police completely.

One of the riders brought along a bike mounted sound system that pumped out music. The ride was photographed by MitH who got some great shots. Pictures are expected to be posted to the interweb soon. MitH managed to keep ahead of the riders and roused the Saturday night revellers from the pubs and nightspots to crowd the footpaths and cheer the spectacle.
Other highlights of the ride included:

• posing naked at a petrol station,
• mocking the petrol prices,
• pretending to put petrol into the bikes with the filler hoses,
• riding through the McDonalds Drive Thru,
• riding along busy Brunswick Street which was also a little bit scary due to the number of drinkers.

The only negative aspect was that one of the male riders had his genitals tugged by a drunk.

Overall the ride was an amazing success and a credit to participants and Organisers. It was the most easterly ride to take part in the Northern Hemisphere leg of the World Naked Bike Ride and the only ride in that leg to occur South of the equator thus in winter. It was also the first ride in the Northern Hemisphere leg of WNBR being the first ride West of the international date line.

The ride was also support of the Northern Hemisphere WNBR and particularly the riders of Eugene, Washington USA who rode during their winter in support of the Southern Hemisphere.

Press are invited to email MitH for photographs andMarte Kinder for information and a press release by Heidi Hill is expected shortly.

Post Ride Press Release

• Released Saturday 7 June 2008

12 fabulous, brave souls participated in the inaugural World Naked Bike Ride - Winter Wonderland protest last night in Melbourne. Most were WNBR veterans but there were also a few inspired newcomers. The 10 men and 2 women gathered at the Union Club Hotel and were encouraged by well wishers. Heavy clouds hovered over Melbourne all afternoon though the evening was milder than feared.

At 11pm the riders retreated to private premises to strip and paint, avoiding a repeat of the discrimination inflicted by Police, experienced during the March WNBR. In March, Police insisted naked male riders were obscene and threatened arrests while allowing female riders to remain completely naked.

At midnight the protesters rode blissfully bare into the streets of Fitzroy exposing their non-threatening, peaceful, vulnerability in the face of the brutal, aggressive, polluting, motorised vehicles. WNBR demonstrates the dangers faced daily by cyclists. It also highlights issues of oil dependency, consumerism, environmentalism, and promotes a healthy positive body image.

The ride was organised in support of the Northern Hemisphere's World Naked Bike Ride which takes place in cities across Europe and North America today.

One of the riders brought along a bike mounted sound system that played music while others blew whistles and rang bells. Friday night revellers spilled out from pubs and restaurants to cheer the spectacle. Highlights of the event included: posing naked at a petrol station mocking the petrol prices, pretending to pump fuel into bikes, riding through a McDonald’s Drive Thru and riding along hectic Brunswick and Johnson Streets which was thrilling yet daunting given the number of raucous drinkers. Generally the public received the ride in jolly spirits and were well behaved apart from throwing a bottle of water at a rider and groping another’s genitals.

Overall the ride was an amazing success. It was the most easterly ride to take place in the Northern Hemisphere leg of the World Naked Bike Ride and the only ride to occur in winter, south of equator. It was also the first ride to occur in the Northern Hemisphere leg of WNBR due to time zones. Onlookers were amazed at the parade and sincerely interested in the protest message.

Winter Wonderland Photos

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  WNBR Winter Wonderland Melbourne 2008

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  WNBR Winter Wonderland Melbourne 2008

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  WNBR Winter Wonderland Melbourne 2008

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  WNBR Winter Wonderland Melbourne 2008

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  WNBR Winter Wonderland Melbourne 2008

Please add a link to the photos here.

Pre-Ride Details

Yaay!!!! Naked daring and brave naked Bike Riders of Melbourne!!!

It is time to ride again......50 riders had an amazing positively inspiring well received ride in summer and now we ride in support of our Northern Hemisphere naked bike ride family.

We face automobile traffic with our naked bodies as the best way of defending our dignity and exposing the unique dangers faced by cyclists and pedestrians plus all the negative effects of oil, cars, war, consumerism and non-renewable energy.

WINTER WONDERLAND - WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE

This is a secret night time ride.....

• TIME: 7pm
• DATE: FRIDAY 6th JUNE 2008
• WHERE: Meet at the UNION HOTEL (cnr Web & Gore Sts) Fitzroy.

Once everyone has arrived and had a few drinks and a good yak we will ride to a undisclosed location to de-brief and paint slogans and decorate our bikes and bodies in preparation for the mid-night start.

This time...we are prepared and are supported by a police liaison lawyer......protecting our rights...Guys you now have the chance to go naked!

Protest in blissful naked totally non threatening peaceful vulnerability. Inspire others to get out their bikes and join in the fun and delight of no emissions and naked freedom.

The WNBR message addresses the world wide issue of sustainable transport and advocates more environmentally friendly cycling and less polluting cars and trucks.

The WNBR is an annual clothing-optional protest ride for naturism, environmentalism, peace and the rights of cyclists to use the road safely.

Pre-ride Press Release

World Naked Bike Ride, Winter Wonderland, Melbourne 2008.
Over the weekend of Friday 6th, Saturday 7th and Sunday 9th of June, cities across the world will experience the joy of the World Naked Bike Ride 2008: the world's largest naked protest against oil dependency with hundreds of riders participating and protesting...it is a beautiful way to be seen and heard and such a delightful enriching experience for participants and onlookers alike and the perfect opportunity to BE THE CHANGE WE ARE LOOKING FOR. By riding naked we make ourselves vulnerable....a truly blissful, non-threatening, peaceful way to show the world we care.

A ride is planned here in Australia in Melbourne beginning on Friday the 6th of June and riding through midnight. Melbourne rides in solidarity with our Northern Hemisphere cycling cousins in:

1. Austria (Österreich): Vienna (Wien)
2. Belgium (België/Belgique/Belgien): Brussels (Brussel/Bruxelles/Brüssel)
3. Canada: Guelph, ON
4. Canada: Nelson, BC
5. Canada: Ottawa, ON
6. Canada: Toronto, ON
7. Canada: Vancouver, BC
8. Canada: Victoria, BC
9. Czech Republic (Česká Republika): Prague (Praha)
10. Denmark (Danmark): Copenhagen (København)
11. France: Paris
12. Germany (Deutschland): Berlin
13. Germany (Deutschland): Bonn
14. Germany (Deutschland): Bremen
15. Germany (Deutschland): Dresden
16. Germany (Deutschland): Frankfurt (Frankfurt am Main)
17. Germany (Deutschland): Munich (München)
18. Greece (Ελλάδα): Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη)
19. Mexico (México): Mexico City (Ciudad de México)
20. Netherlands (Nederland): Utrecht
21. Russia (Россия/Rossiya/Rossija): Saint Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург/Sankt-Peterburg)
22. Spain (España): A Coruña
23. Spain (España): Alicante
24. Spain (España): Barcelona
25. Spain (España): Granada
26. Spain (España): Huesca
27. Spain (España): Madrid
28. Spain (España): Murcia
29. Spain (España): Pamplona
30. Spain (España): Santander
31. Spain (España): Valencia
32. Spain (España): Valladolid
33. Spain (España): Zaragoza
34. UK: Belfast
35. UK: Brighton & Hove
36. UK: Cardiff
37. UK: Edinburgh
38. UK: London
39. UK: Manchester
40. UK: Sheffield
41. UK: Southampton
42. UK: York
43. USA: Asheville, NC
44. USA: Austin, TX
45. USA: Boulder, CO
46. USA: Burlington, VT
47. USA: Chicago, IL
48. USA: Denver, CO
49. USA: Eugene, OR
50. USA: Marquette, MI
51. USA: Montpelier, VT
52. USA: Portland, OR
53. USA: Saint Louis, MO
54. USA: Saint Petersburg, FL
55. USA: San Francisco, CA
56. USA: Seattle, WA
57. USA: Washington, DC

On the 9th of March, naked bike riders in Eugene, Oregon USA braved bitter cold and threats of Police Tazers to ride in solidarity with the Southern Hemisphere. Melbourne sends a special tribute to the brave naked bike riders in Eugene, Oregon USA by riding in solidarity with them in our winter. The Winter Wonderland theme is part of that tribute.

The WNBR message addresses the world wide issue of sustainable transport and advocates more environmentally friendly cycling and less polluting cars and trucks. The WNBR is an annual clothing-optional protest ride for Naturism, environmentalism, peace and the rights of cyclists to use the road safely.

The World Naked Bike Ride is the longest running and largest global protest that has no money backers, and is run by volunteers around the world. Last year's ride included over 5,000 people.

With the ever-increasing awareness about the benefits of healthy, fit bodies and less pollution and congestion on our roads, we expect a big turnout to this year's rides.

Though the dress code for the ride is “Go as bare as you dare!”, nudity is not compulsory. It is not a ride promoting overtly sexual behaviour in public.

Many people still struggle to distinguish between concepts of non-sexual nudity and pornography. The WNBR encourages society’s need for a body-positive mentality, and protests against environmental damage caused by motorised vehicles.

Excessive burning of fossil fuels has instigated environmental damage in the forms of climate change, air pollution, and acid rain and water pollution.

From the onset of pollution and cancer, to obesity – the burning of fossil fuels and car-addicted lifestyles are causing serious health problems, many of which are affecting humans on a widespread scale.

Violence stemming from wars fought over oil and road rage results in the deaths and injuries to innocent civilians from the former, and pedestrians and cyclists from the latter.

The WNBR is an active social movement for a peaceful and gentler world, which includes our roads.

“We face automobile traffic with our naked bodies as the best way of defending our dignity and exposing the unique dangers faced by cyclists and pedestrians plus all the negative effects of oil, cars, war, consumerism and non-renewable energy”, reads the WNBR mission statement.

The WNBR group was created by Conrad Schmidt (of Vancouver, Canada) in 2004 to help coordinate a large international naked bike ride between many different activist groups across the World. Since then, the WNBR has spread to over 60 cites in about 20 countries with the participation of thousands of riders.

Legality

The laws that are relevant to public nudity in Victoria are applicable througout the state. For discussion of this topic, please refer to the separate page about Victoria Laws.

Media enquiries

Contact Heidi, the WNBR Melbourne Organiser (wnbrmelbourne@yahoo.com.au).

Publicity: flyers, posters, images etc

Below is the latest version of the Poster / Flyer.

Poster / Flyer

Media coverage

Sports Cycle News, Saturday 07 June 2008, "Chilly Nudes Make Their Points in Melbourne", Written by Peter Ford.

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