Do You Come from a Land Down Under?

Fully dressed ... Noel Alfred Sneddon after court / AAP
A YACHTSMAN has been placed on a good behaviour bond for sailing naked on his vessel in the Brisbane River in full view of a passenger ferry.

An "ashamed" Noel Alfred Sneddon, 52, pleaded guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court to one count of wilful exposure and has vowed to be more careful in future.
The court was told at around 7.30pm on February 12, Sneddon was sailing his 15m yacht while naked on the Brisbane River at inner-city Kangaroo Point, when a cross-river ferry passed him.

The court was told the ferry sailed close to Sneddon's vessel and shone a spotlight on him while someone shouted at him to cover up.

The matter was reported to police.

Magistrate Christine Roney today placed Sneddon, who has previously served 21 years in the defence force, on a good-behaviour bond for six months but ordered that no conviction be recorded.

"I think there are worse things in life than seeing a naked man on a boat," she said.

"It's a bit like being naked in the kitchen.

"I am worried what the effect of a conviction would be to his standing within the community."

She also made Sneddon sign an undertaking that he not move or anchor within 300m of a Brisbane City Council ferry.

The court was also told this was the third time Sneddon had been stung for sailing in his birthday suit.

However Sneddon's barrister Peter Kearney submitted there was nothing sinister about Sneddon's nude sailing.

"I understand when he's at sea it's not unusual for him and other yachtsmen to be naked," said Mr Kearney.

"He's quite ashamed to be here and has resolved to be more careful in the future."