No peeping.
One month ago, almost to the day, Australia’s answer to Surfline, called Swellnet, received an ultra-embarrassing slap from officials and told to remove “naughty” surf cameras that it had illegally erected in order to gaze upon formerly nude stretches of coast along proud Victoria including, but not limited to, Fisherman’s Beach.
Australians were shocked by this invasion of their privacy (pronounced with a short i) but Swellnet remained undeterred with the company’s editor, Stu Nettle, telling BeachGrit, exclusively, “For the record: The Fishos camera has consent. A contract was signed in 2020. Almost every social media post about it has been incorrect, most particularly the administrator of the Respect Bells Beach FB page who’s been citing clauses in legislation that simply don’t exist. We’re currently going through correct channels to clarify our position. Normal transmission will resume shortly. Embarrassment? Nah, but not realising your Australian biz partner wanted BeachGrit to partner up with Swellnet might cut it. For the record, we said no.”
The revenge porn about a possible ménage à trois nipped before it could beautifully blossom aside, the Surf Coast Times is just now reporting that “normal transmission” is not, in fact, resuming soon and may not resume for some time.
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) recently confirmed it has not given consent for any of the dozens of surf cameras in Victoria, despite it being a requirement under the Marine and Coastal Act.
The act only applies to cameras installed on Crown land, including at surf lifesaving clubs, and falls to local land managers such as GORCAPA to oversee.“We are continuing to work with lease holders to raise awareness of our CCTV policy and leaseholder obligations,” GORCAPA operations director Daniel Aitken said. “Where we identify cameras that have not received our approval, they will be decommissioned. If leaseholders wish to continue operating cameras, we will assess them against our policy.”
If Swellnet hopes to keep the peeping eyes functioning, Nettle and co. will have to go and seek approval under the Marine and Coastal Act, though the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA) frowns upon “commercial use in which the footage is sold or given to a third party and indiscriminate live broadcasting without a specific time-limited permit” which seems to counter the very idea of wave-based voyeurism.
How will Swellnet react?
More vigorous defense of its kink or quietly shuffling off to the darker corners?
Exciting days.
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Yep unless it was dead flat and even then when we were groms we were stuck at the beach all day. One time when I was around 12 or so my dad dropped my friend and I off at the beach while he went to play gold all day, as per normal. This was south Fla in the summer and it was lake (Flat)lantic. Sheet glass not a ripple. So we sat there trying to figure out how we were going to burn 10 hours in the (0 degree 100 percent humidity heat and what sort of hijinx we were going to get up to. It was too early to hit the pizza store on the pier and grab a bunch of straws which we would use to poke people’s feet from underneath the pier, one of our fav pasttimes. So we just sat there looking at the pancake flat ocean. Out of nowhere we noticed this black line on the ocean’s horizon way out by the gulfsteam. Totally perplexed, we sat there surmising as to what it could be. Slowly but surely it got closer and closer and within minutes there was a perfect little 2-3 ft east swell rolling in. We were freaking out and couldn’t get out there fast enough. Never before or since have I witnessed a swell coming in out of nowhere. We talked about it and bragged to our friends at school for years. Good times
Australians pronounce privacy with a long i.
I do the all fucking.
Cameras might keep them more honest at least. Repeatedly calling 4.0mtr sw swells at 15 seconds that don’t ever eventuate down here. It’s fucken ludicrous. Then they call a 7.0mtr swell that is absolutely garbage. Couldn’t read a synoptic chart if it was in brail the useless cunts.
Isnt this the same mob Nick Carroll works for , why not have a look at who sponsors swell net and then boycott them , money talks bullshit walks.
Nah. He works for Surfline.
Ahh ok thanks for the correction
Better hope that Chas or Derek do not ever use a surf cam online as they could be seen as hypocritical. Easy to say they are evil but we all have used them.
You can always squeeze in somewhere,
with the right lubrication.
Allegedly.
no to siri,,,ve’re nor hiring…
Mork: “No Peking!”
OK , what about in the Surf Coast Times article mentioning the “other” American owned Surf camera operator, Surfline!
It’s pretty simple really , there is a new Govt body Great Ocean Road Coasts and Parks Authority which is taking over all the crown land along the Great Ocean Road……any commercial use of the “Crown Lands” must have a license to operate by the commercial entity.
Surfclubs/ SEs-Fisho’s etc…do not have the right to grant licensee’s, must be from the governing body , GORCAPA.
We have the same issue with Bells , in that GORCAPA takes over the Bells Reserve from the Surf Coast Shire, so we are negotiating legislation/management politically in the hopes we can get a better deal for the recreational Surfers who make up 95% + of users……
* Cancel all the Club/regional contests and only have the Easter Comp ,
* cut down set up and pull down times 4 weeks to set up, 3 weeks to pull down
* Gate $’s not go to Ziffy ( between $200K-400K) but direct back into maintenance and projects at Bells
* that the Local volunteer Surf Groups be recognised as representing the recreational surfers and that the new GORCAPA committee to manage Bells has majority Community input thru the respective groups that have been fighting to keep Bells from the developers
* the WSL be branded as a Green washer and commercial abuser of Bells
* I get to have a penthouse built in the WINKI car park
* If you haven’t surfed for more that 20 years ya cant’ surf there
* Sunday mornings there will be a community BBQ at Bells where we can savour the local product…Roos/Echidnas/Birds……and hopefully we can catch some Dolphins/Whales/Seals as the local recipes are to die for!
I love the aspirations on your list.
Could Hurluley help with sponsorship? I’m sure Hurluley can greenwash along with the best of them.
this could be a chance for Hurluley , to do some really great community work by providing camo nit wear/Balaclavas for the Gorilla Grip group that will be protecting the communities rights ……..between the hrs of Midnite and 4.00 am….help Hurluley!
Camo Head Cozies
How’s your cam-pain now Swellnot?
there;s no spotify
I wonder how hard those permits are going to be to get? I don’t think swellnets made many friends who will support there applications locally, nor, I believe is having already broken the law will help there applications.
The costs of applications, the costs of any appeal process, the negative association both local and world wide and fallout to sponsors and advertising types.
It’s just not such a easy thing as to throw a camera up where ever YOU want and begin to use it to make YOU money.
I wonder how we can get that Victoria law passed into NSW?
I guess you can sell your soul as long as that beautiful cash rolls in. Can be in the water while the swellnet community are at home checking their beloved webcams.
When have I ever?
US Supreme Court recently ruled that Americans have zero right to privacy.
Maybe swellnet should transfer to the US
Better turn your webcam off,
Ten times a day is a bit much
Webcam?
Is that your fetish?
Do you do Hot Stuff webcam show?
Yup.
Are you the naked guy dancing in the window facing onto Pittwater Road at rush hour?
Tuesdays and every other friday
Why bother.
Just wait for it to happen not too much later here too.
It’s gonna be good for the “fuckin’ tall ladder” business.
Probably not a bad time to start growing beanstalks too…
Swellnets target audience might embrace the “ fucken tall ladder” if stu gets the marketing right?
Imagine how many less people would be in the water if you still had to listen to the weather radio, jump in the car and actually look at the ocean to know if there were waves or if it was good. Take me back. It was so much more rewarding too.
I yearn for conscription, too old now i spose
It all went downhill after we let females vote in my opinion
Talk
My mate got really perversely captured this day, swellnet are gross. https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
naughty camera shot ripe for exploitation…(Surfer Mag)
https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx….
John John John Florence
Electronics have pretty much ruined the world and people’s minds.
Everytime you leave your house you are being photographed multiple times throughout the day.
And when is the last time you went to the library or a bookstore to get a good book to read, or haven’t looked at your phone in a 60 minute time period.
I could go on and on…..
Those cameras swellnet were using were useless anyway.
They didn’t have facial recognition technology on them.
ligrarian with thick glasses?
…And of even greater significance, what additional dirt might Stu Nettle have on BG?
Provocative!
BG is the dirt
iest
Without dirt, there is no crop to eat.