A mother has sparked debate over whether women should wear G-string bikinis to sunbathe after she was involved in an ‘uncomfortable’ experience with a tourist. 

Victorian woman Hayley Collicoat, 36, was on a trip with her husband in the Whitsunday Islands, in Queensland, when she saw a young woman ‘literally undress’ in front of other holidaymakers.

The mother of six, who owns a butcher shop, said she was horrified to witness the actions of the woman, which left many uncomfortable.

‘I’m not opposed to a G-string bikini. Wear what you want to, but it was the way she did it,’ Ms Collicoat said.

‘It was far more revealing than a normal G-string bikini is. She sat down with legs up which gave the other couple sitting next to them a clear full-frontal view of what was going on downtown.

‘It didn’t cover her bikini line because it was on a string.

‘I could almost see her little “friend” because it was just covering.’

Ms Collicoat, who also does pole fitness in her spare time, said the man was left ‘visibly uncomfortable’.

‘She was not worried about anyone else’s presence and the fact she was wearing the most minimal of minimal,’ she said.

‘The other couple ended up moving to the other side of the boat. Like c’mon, that’s not fair, there’s a time and place.

‘That’s like me wearing a lingerie one piece to my kids’ football on the weekend – sometimes you just gotta save that s*** for another time.’

Ms Collicoat shared her story on TikTok, with many agreeing with her stance. 

‘There’s a time and place for it,’ one commented.

‘The poor man and woman who accidentally get caught looking but where else do you look? Also kids don’t need to be seeing these!’

One woman said: ‘I’ll wear them at home in my pool but not at the beach with my kids.’

Another added: ‘You gotta know when to wear them. If you’re going to a beach that’s more family-oriented with BBQs and picnic designated areas, you should wear a normal bikini.’

However, others slammed Ms Collicoat and said she shouldn’t be policing what other women choose to wear. 

‘I’m not sure I agree. I don’t think we should dictate to girls what they can and can’t wear. The problem is the blokes, not them,’ one commented.

Another said: ‘It’s awesome that women are proud of their bodies – doesn’t matter what body type, it’s being proud and should be proud.’

A third added: ‘Imagine if I demanded you dress in a certain way just to suit my comfort levels.’