More than 50 older Australians stripped off at Melbourne’s Brighton Baths to challenge ageing stereotypes, prove a point and have a little fun along the way.

There were no designer bathers, no worries about wrinkles and certainly no room for embarrassment as more than 50 older Australians, a Melbourne sunrise and a collective decision to throw caution, and their clothes, to the wind.

At Brighton Baths last week, a group of adventurous seniors gathered for a sunrise skinny dip with a message: growing older doesn’t mean giving up on fun, freedom or feeling comfortable in your own skin. Organised by retirement living provider Levande, the unusual morning swim brought together older Australians, including residents from its retirement communities, to challenge some stubborn assumptions about what people should and shouldn’t do as they age.

And behind the cheeky spectacle was some revealing research. A YouGov survey of 1,157 Australians aged over 65, commissioned by Levande in August, found that 74 per cent feel younger at heart than their actual age, yet 45 per cent believe society unfairly considers them too old to participate in certain activities, while 54 per cent feel underestimated simply because of their age.

When respondents were asked which activities society considered inappropriate for older people, showing off their bodies and skinny dipping topped the list.

So Levande decided to put those assumptions to the test.

Rather than simply talking about ageism, participants were invited to shed their robes and take the plunge.

It was a playful response to a serious issue that many Starts at 60 readers will recognise.

Growing older can bring a greater sense of confidence, perspective and freedom from other people’s opinions. Yet the expectations placed on older Australians don’t always reflect how they see themselves.

The Brighton Baths swim offered a different picture of later life, one where adventure, laughter and a willingness to try something unexpected aren’t reserved for the young.

Of course, nobody needs to strip naked and jump into Port Phillip Bay to prove they’re ageing well.

For some, stepping outside their comfort zone might mean joining a walking group, taking up dancing, travelling solo or trying something they’ve spent decades putting off. For others, it might simply mean finding the confidence to wear whatever they like without worrying about what anyone else thinks.

But for these Melbourne swimmers, the message was delivered without a stitch of clothing.

Refreshingly, age might be a number, but it certainly doesn’t have to be a dress code.