Location: The Teardrop

BearAYD discovered cruising around 20 years ago through their second boyfriend, who was very into it. They found some local cruising spots, and their first experience was at the Dandy Showgrounds, where they were initially terrified. 

However, they walked in and found four tradies who greeted them, and they had a great time. They found that many of the men they encountered were married. The experience got them addicted, and they discovered amyl, which intensified their experiences. They found more cruising areas online and began to enjoy cruising in the Australian bush, which provided isolation but could also be dangerous at times.

BearAYD had some bad experiences while cruising, including being bitten on the neck in a rough manner and witnessing hunting dogs chasing kangaroos unexpectedly. They prefer larger, busy cruising spots and recounted a humorous experience at one such spot where there was an outdoor church that they didn’t realise until halfway through their visit. They now prefer saunas due to the community connection they provide.

BearAYD got married for religious reasons, but they came out as gay in their mid-thirties in the mid-1980s, which was still a highly stigmatised time. They find cruising to be more natural and “less contrived” than other forms of meeting people.