Improving beach accessibility

Published on 02 August 2024

Attribute to Acting Director Environment and Coastal Operations Mark Davies

“Going to the beach is one of Australia’s favourite pastimes, so it’s important that our beaches are accessible to everyone.

We’re proud to provide hoists, accessible wheelchairs, parking and matting so that people of all abilities can access beaches from Torquay to Apollo Bay.

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback to help us understand the challenges and opportunities in making the beach at Anglesea more accessible.

Our engagement included an onsite meeting with key stakeholders, two email submissions, 18 online surveys and over 300 visits to our website.

Notably, 47 per cent of respondents were people living with a disability or someone caring for a person with a disability.

As a direct result of community feedback, we have decided to purchase a Mobi-Chair and portable hoist to help more people access the water at Anglesea.

We’re also exploring funding opportunities for a Wheeleez All-Terrain Beach Walker to further enhance our equipment range.

We’re progressing plans for a ‘come and try’ day later this year where people can access and experience the range of public beach mobility equipment available firsthand.

Conversations with local service providers and community groups are underway to understand the best timing and location for this event and we will publicise the details shortly.

To make it easier to book accessible beach equipment, we’ve spent time on creating a new and improved booking system. We hope to launch it before the upcoming summer."