Risky Behaviours of Beachgoing in Australia

Risky behaviours of beachgoing in Australia Todd Walton A thesis in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science July, 2014 THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: Walton First name: Todd Other name/s: Reginald Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: PhD School: Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty: Science Title: Risky behaviours of beach-going in Australia Abstract Beaches in Australia are signified with meaning. ‘The beach’ is a cultural centrepiece that contributes to the expectation of pleasure seeking in various forms, be it whilst being at the beach or reminiscing about being there. However, many of these pleasures are invariably risky. This thesis explored the cultural underpinnings of beach going in Australia, to reveal the existence of risk- taking norms in Australian beach use. Attention has been paid to the sociality of the embodied subject in the beach space, and how various cultural forces that promote risky beach behaviours have emerged in Australia. I present a psychosocial, ethnographic study that captures the patterns of behaviour and perceptions that reproduce norms of risk-taking that are specific to beach going. A synthesis of psychoanalytic geographies and psychodynamics provided a practical way of analysing such risky behaviours. These analytic methods were brought in touch with the more commonplace research methods of surveying and interviewing in human geography. This filled a methodological gap in the analysis of risk- taking behaviour as a phenomenon, and the associated psychic development of individuals within the specific context of beach going. This thesis has identified that people who use the Australian beach accept risky behaviours both knowingly and subconsciously. Acceptance of risk-taking as normal was observed among Australian born beachgoers who tended to possess an encultured perception of risky behaviour as specific to beach use. This perception is borne out of years of hazard encounters and risk-taking experience in an Australian beach setting. Unwitting engagements with risk-taking was more commonly observed in (overseas) tourist behaviour. Psychological affects associated with landscape and a relaxation of barriers normally preventing psychic satisfaction combine in the beachscape. Other socio-cultural and intrapersonal influences, such as interactive risk and specific personality traits, serve to amplify the acceptance, and increase the performance, of risky beach behaviours. Combined with the appeal of beach going, this makes risk-taking a common and hazardous practice at Australian beaches. In a space that contains a multitude of hazards, where social and cultural acceptance is attained through risk-taking, the beach going experience in Australia presents a hazardous undertaking, regardless of the beachgoer’s background. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). ……………………………………………………… ……………………………………..……………… ……….…………………….. Signature Witness Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: THIS SHEET IS TO BE GLUED TO THE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THE THESIS ii Abstract Beaches in Australia are signified with meaning. ‘The beach’ is a cultural centrepiece that contributes to the expectation of pleasure seeking in various forms, be it whilst being at the beach or reminiscing about being there. However, many of these pleasures are invariably risky. This thesis evolved from the author’s observations that risky behaviours are frequently performed and somehow socially accepted in the beach space. Research for this thesis revealed that risk-taking in the Australian beach environment is re-produced by beachgoer adherence to culturally produced social norms, and in association with a number of intrapersonal and psychologically influenced behavioural reflexes. This thesis explored the cultural underpinnings of beach going in Australia, to reveal the existence of risk-taking norms in Australian beach use. This has implications for the whole range of beach users, including for those visiting from beyond Australian shores. This thesis has investigated the influence of society, culture and the psyche on the risk-taking behaviour of beachgoers in Australia. Attention has been paid to the sociality of the embodied subject in the beach space, and how various cultural forces that promote risky beach behaviours have emerged in Australia. I present a psychosocial, ethnographic study of beachgoers in Australia, which was completed to capture the patterns of behaviour and perceptions of beach going that re-produce the identified norms of risk- taking at the beach. A synthesis of psychoanalytic geography and psychodynamics provided a practical way of analysing such risky behaviours. These analytic methods were brought in touch with the more commonplace research methods of surveying and interviewing in human geography to fill the methodological gaps in geography that relate to risk-taking behaviour and the psyche in the specific context of the beach in Australia. The integration of multiple methods in the study of beachgoer risk- taking produced a more complete understanding of risky behaviour in the specific landscape of the Australian beach by bridging the gaps between space, body and mind. This thesis has identified that people who use the Australian beach accept risky behaviours both knowingly and subconsciously. Acceptance of risk-taking as a normal part of beach going is of particular significance with Australian born beachgoers who tend to possess an encultured perception of risky behaviour as specific to beach use. This perception is borne out of years of hazard encounters and risk- taking experience in an Australian beach setting. Unwitting engagements with risk-taking was more commonly observed in (overseas) tourist behaviour. Psychological effects associated with landscape preference and a relaxation of barriers normally preventing psychic satisfaction combine to make the beach an appealing place. Other socio-cultural and intra-personal influences, such as interactive risk and specific personality traits, serve to amplify the acceptance, and increase the performance, of risky behaviours at the beach. In combination with the appeal of beach going, this makes risk-taking a common and hazardous practice on Australian beaches. An implication of this research is support for the continued protection of beachgoers from the hazards of the Australian beach, including ongoing education and safety campaigns. From the evidence reported in this thesis however, the complete elimination of risky behaviours on Australian beaches should not be the aim of these campaigns, because risk-taking is part of the socio-cultural fabric of beach going in Australia, and attempts at elimination will be ultimately futile. In a space that contains a multitude of hazards, where social and cultural acceptance is attained through risk-taking, the beach going experience in Australia presents a hazardous undertaking, no matter the beachgoer’s background. iii ORIGINALITY STATEMENT ‘I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.’ Signed ……………………………………………........................... Date ……………………………………………........................... COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ‘I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word

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