Sophia Auld and her husband, who live on the Sunshine Coast in Australia, didn't over-think the wording in the advertisement they read about a rental property, which described it as "nudist friendly".

As Sophia said on Domain, "We naively believed it must have been because the place was secluded enough to go clothes-free without offending anyone. How nice to have such privacy, we thought."

But there was a little more going on than that. The couple discovered their landlord was a travelling naturist who ran a colony for fellow "clothing optional" enthusiasts on the adjoining property.



The couple list five things they have learned in their years living next door to the nudists.



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KATH AND KIM/ABC Remember Kath and Ken from Kath and Kim? While the series got plenty of exposure, their venture into naturism was short-lived.

1. EVERYONE IS INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THE NAKED BODY (WELL, ALMOST)



"When some people learned that we lived next to a nudist colony, they were keen to come for a visit," says Sophie Auld. "Arriving guests greeted us with hushed tones: 'Where are the nudies? Can we see them?"

The pair say one particular friend, not previously known for visiting, couldn't wait to make the 90-minute trip to their new house. "After quickly making his way to the foliage fence for a gawk at the camp below, he was devastated to discover our neighbours were all out."



The couple also say their growing grandsons would ride their bikes down the driveway and serendipitously crash into the bushes, which offered the ultimate vantage point for nudie viewing. "Sometimes you knew their perving attempts had been successful, from the staged whispers of 'Cor, check that out', or 'Ew, that's gross'. Occasionally, a loud 'Go away' from below signalled the spies had been caught, and they would retreat with tails between legs.



"Girlish giggles informed us that our daughters had spotted some flesh during their outdoor games, and even Grandma couldn't resist a discreet peek now and then."

But Sophia Auld says her husband was the only exception. He refused to go on to the site if a woman was there, even if he needed to pump water from the dam in a dry spell.

2. IT IS POSSIBLE TO OPERATE FARM MACHINERY WITH NO CLOTHES ON

The couple say they often saw their landlord driving a tractor in the "raw" to help keep the grass and weeds under control.

3. NUDISTS ARE NORMAL PEOPLE, WHO LOOK JUST LIKE YOU AND ME WHEN YOU SEE THEM AT THE SUPERMARKET

"Ever been momentarily disconcerted when you've seen a familiar face out of context? That feeling is multiplied when you see someone down the street who you're used to seeing naked. It turns out that nudists are normal people. They eat, sleep, shop and visit the dentist just like we do."

The Aulds say happy hour was exactly that – it started with the clanging of saucepans and then the clan would gather in director's chairs, in a circle, sharing a drink and a yarn while the sun went down.

"Always good neighbours, they respected our privacy a lot better than we did theirs," says Sophia Auld.

4. YOU DON'T NEED A FANTASTIC PHYSIQUE TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR CLOTHES OFF

Sophia's husband would hang some large sheets to screen the nudists when the couple's daughter wanted to hang out washing, to avoid giving her an anatomy lesson.

"But it was possible to inadvertently cop an eyeful of more than you bargained for. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and apparently you don't need one that's honed by personal trainers and nutritionists to be comfortable in your own skin. The naturists taught me that it's good to love your body, even if it doesn't fit the svelte and sexy or muscled masculine magazine stereotypes."

5. GOING NATURIST IS HIGHLY ECO-FRIENDLY

Think of the savings in power and water when you don't have to wash so often. "The naturists taught me the value of simple living, as they lived out of caravans with few possessions and little need for fancy whitegoods."

Sophia Auld says clothes are an obsession for some people, but the naturists were not bothered by fashion fads. "Despite lumps and bumps, they seemed to revel in the liberation that comes from being at peace with your body. That's a lesson I'm still working on," she says.

A version of this story first appeared on Domain.