In July this year, Territorians had a heated verbal stoush over topless bathing. It seems some of the locals are fed up with ‘leering men’ finding any excuse to go down the beach for a stroll.
Darwin, capital of Australia’s Northern Territory, has long had a reputation for being different. Its best known for nearly being wiped off the map after Cyclone Tracey in 1975, but it is also known the world over for its Beer Can Regatta – with boats primarily built from aluminum beer cans – and thong throwing festivals (that’s the Aussie footwear type thong by the way). The heat and humidity is also a way of life in the top end – which is no doubt the main argument for women who wish to go topless.
It is also known for its eccentric and individual characters, often blamed on everything from the heat to the oversized beer bottles. .
So, it comes as no real surprise to see reports of a woman that has stripped off naked in front of dozens of people having breakfast at a popular Darwin restaurant, the Cool Spot Cafe in Fannie Bay.
The word ‘fanny‘ is Aussie (and British) slang meaning female genitalia, so the irony of stripping naked in Fannie Bay is not lost on the average Australian.
Witnesses said the woman took off all her clothes after she and another woman had a “full-on” fist fight over a man yesterday. I said that Darwinians were individuals didn’t I?
Fernando Dentes, an eyewitness said:
That was just a shocker, People were trying to eat. The two ladies were arguing about the fella they were there with, It was pretty verbal. One had the other on the ground, she was pretty much just defending herself and then she was lifting up her shirt and showing her breasts. She took off her clothes and then she walked to the median strip lit a cigarette and laid down. The customers weren’t terribly impressed. They were more concerned for the kids. They rushed them inside.
Police said a 39-year-old woman had to be picked up after she bared all. Three uniformed officers, in a paddy wagon and a sedan, arrived at the scene before giving the woman an on-the-spot fine and taking her to her home in Moulden, Palmerston.
Mr Dentes, the shift manager at the restaurant, said it was not the first time police were called to the restaurant area to resolve a disturbance.
We do get incidents occasionally but not something like this.
It has not been stated whether alcohol was a factor in the incident.
Fanny means exactly the same in the UK as Oz
Fanny means exactly the same in the UK as Oz