Mapping Beach Wheelchairs

12/1/2015

We wrote this post in January, 2015. It was something we had been meaning to write for a while. We could never have guessed how many people would see this post. We love that it was shared and talked about. We love the conversations it started, and the awareness it raised. The first time Dexter was able to access the beach, in a beach wheelchair, was a very smiley day for us! We want every family (with someone with a disability) to experience the same joy. To do that, we need to know where the beach wheelchairs are, and how to access them. That's what this post is about.

It's only been the last year, that we have known about beach wheelchairs.
We didn't know there were such things, until we stumbled across a photo of one.
We now know, there are at least three beach wheelchairs in beaches near our house.
Beach wheelchairs are great! Without them, I can't go to the beach. A pram can't get through the sand, and I can't stay on a mat and not end up with a mouthful of sand. Going to the beach is just too difficult! But, with a beach wheelchair, the sand becomes accessible! The chairs can also go through the smaller waves.

Beach wheelchairs are great, and, if more people know where they are, more people might be using them.
#RaisingAwareness

So, after researching a few sites, and exploring the internet for a while, we've come up with this list. This list contains some of the Aussie beaches with beach wheelchairs. We're sure there are more. If we missed one, let us know!
***Since posting this, we've added more beaches. Thank you, everyone who told us about another beach wheelchair, or changes in availability of the chairs.
If the location is simply a beach, contact the life guards, tourist information centre (though, they don't often know about the chairs), or the council, for more information.
Thank you for the support in compiling this list.
Let's get those beach wheelchairs on to the beaches!

New South Wales Beaches
Tweed Heads Area
Kingscliff Beach Holiday Park
Cabarita Beach Surf Life Saving Club (ph 66702400, 66702442)
Murwillumbah (ph 66702400, 66702442)
Pottsville South Holiday Park
Byron Area
Brunswick Heads Community Centre
Byron Bay Pacific Apartments
Clarkes Beach via Byron Shire Council
Ballina Visitors Information Centre
Evans Head
Yamba Area
Woody Head National Park, Iluka
Yamba Calypso Caravan Park
Broome’s Head Caravan Park
Minnie Waters Caravan Park
Coffs Harbour Area
Arrawarra Beach (Holiday Park)
The Next Phase at Woolgoolga (0266548118) or the Woolgoolga Caravan Park
Darlington Beach Holiday Park
Park Beach
Yacht Club at Jetty Beach
Sawtell Surf Life Saving Club
Urunga Beach
Nambucca Area
Scotts Head Beach
Port Macquarie Area
Town Beach
Flynne’s Beach
Camden Haven Surf Life Saving Club
Rainbow Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Northhaven Beach
Lachlan Macquarie Lodge, in Port Macquarie have donated a beach wheelchair to Port Macquarie Primary School.

Port Stephens Area
Shoal Bay Holiday Park
Fingal Bay Holiday Park
Little Beach
Halifax Holiday Park
Crowdy Head Surf Club, near Harrington
Newcastle Area
**Variety, the children's charity, has donated beach wheelchairs from Hawks Nest to Caves Beach. Ring the individual surf clubs to book.
Merewether SLSC
Dixon Park SLSC
Newcastle SLSC
Stockton Beach Caravan Park
Blacksmith Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Cooks Hill Surf Club - complete with sling and hoist
Nobbys Beach
Redhead Beach at Lake Macquarie

Central Coast Area
Lakes Beach, Budgewoi **Currently not available, apparently due to maintenance problems
Soldier’s Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Terrigal Beach
Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Avoca Beach North Surf Life Saving Club
Copacabana Beach Surf Life Saving Club
McMasters Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Kilcare Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Umina Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Toowoon Beach

Sydney Area
Collaroy Surf Life Saving Club - Warringah Disability Services: ph 02 99422787
Manly Beach
Newport Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Bilgola Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Bondi Beach – Middle Tower
Maroubra Beach SLSC
South Cronulla Beach
Wollongong Area
Stanwell Park
Thirroul Beach
North Wollongong Beach
Port Kembla Ocean Pool
ShellHarbour Area
Warilla Beach
Shellharbour Surf Life Saving Club
South Shellharbour Tourist Park
Kiama Area
Kiama Surf Beach
Gerroa Tourist Park
Seven Mile Beach Caravan Park

Shoalhaven Area
Shoalhaven Heads Surf Life Saving Club
Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club
South Coast Area
Batemans Bay Surf Life Saving Club
Broulee Surfers Surf Life Saving Club
Moruya Surf Life Saving Club
Naroma Surf Life Saving Club
Tathra Surf Life Saving Club
Pambula Surf Life Saving Club

The free to use beach wheelchair at Yamba's Calypso Caravan Park

Queensland Beaches
Brisbane – Southbank beach
Bundaberg Resource Centre & Toy Library Ph: 07 4153 2909
Allingham, via Reggie's Takeaway ph: 07 4777 9545
Hervey Bay City Council - Torquay Beach Hire
Palm Cove, Cairns
Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas
Noosa Beach
Noosaville State School (for children)
Noosa Shire – Boreen Point Ph: 5485 3043
Southport – Gold Coast Sport and Recreation Inc. Ph: 07 5531 3312
Cowley Beach Caravan Park (child versions)
Treasure Island Holiday Park, Surfers Paradise
Tallebudgera Surf Life Saving Club
Torquay Beach, Hervey Bay
Tangalooma Island Resort , Moreton Bay
Alexandra Headlands SLSC, Sunshine Coast
Maroochydore SLSC, Sunshine Coast
Rockhampton: hire from the AFS, corner of Elphinstone and Berserker Sts
Mackay Harbour Beach
Kurramine Beach Caravan Park **That information is as yet, unconfirmed.
Yeppoon - Bayview Tower: (across the road from the main beach has a beach wheelchair available from 7am until 7pm)

Victorian Beaches
Rickett Point
Glenelg Shire Council, Portland
Geelong Eastern Beach - lifesaving club
Edithvale Life Saving Club
Frankston Life Saving Club
Mt Martha Life Saving Club
Phillip Island - Cowes Visitor Information Centre, ph: 03 5951 3396
Port Fairy - Great Ocean Road. (Visitor Information Centre , Port Fairy.)
Warrnambool - Tourist Information Centre
Parks Victoria, Tidal river, Wilson's Promitory
Point Leo Surf Life Saving Club, Mornington Peninsula
Beachchair use via Oz Child, Mornington Peninsular
Ocean Grove, via Ocean Grove Disabled Surfing Association

Angelsea YMCA - (03) 5263 1512

Tasmanian Beaches
Somerset Surf Club
Ulverstone Surf Club
Members of the Cerebral Palsy League of Tasmania can hire beach buggys, beach wheelchairs and all terrain chairs, from the Newtown office. There are fees. They can be hired on a weekly or monthly basis.
The Red Cross also has equipment, which can be hired:

Red Cross Burnie - 1800 246 850

Red Cross Hobart - 03 6235 6031
Red Cross Launceston - 03 6331 4624

South Australian Beaches
Contact the Surfing for Disabled website for information

Western Australian Beaches
City of Mandurah - Madora Bay Store Ph: 08 9537 1147
Disability Services Commission, Albany Ph: 08 9845 5700
Bunbury - Koombana Bay Sailing Club (via Enable Southwest on 08 9792 7500)
Dolphin Discovery Centre, Bunbury
Busselton foreshore - Equinox Cafe
Naturaliste Community Centre, Dunsborough
Cape Range National Park, Milyering - Yardie Creek Rd Visitor Information Centre
Coral Bay - Milyering Visitors Centre
Cape Range National Park - Milyering Visitors Centre
North Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club, Exmouth Yacht Club
Monkey Mia - DEC office at Monkey Mia
Mullaloo Surf Life Saving Club
Ningaloo Reef - Milyering Visitor Centre
Perth Surf Life Saving Club Ph – 08 9244 1222
Rottnest Island –Island Bike Hire
South Beach, South Fremantle

Buy a beach wheelchair
If you would like to purchase your own beach wheelchair (either the sandcruiser or the smaller sandpiper) head over to the Yabby Industries website.

If you are a company, and would like to purchase a chair and donate it to your local council, Yabby Industries can help you out. They can even assist with logo advertising on the beach wheelchair.
If you own your own beach wheelchair and have to repair a tyre, the Yabby Industries website has a great 'How to' repair video. See it here.

*We can't guarantee availability, as information may have changed. This is a list compiled after some internet research, and some assistance from other families.

**See lifeguards or park managers, to ask about the beach wheelchairs. Sometimes, beach wheelchairs are stored in small spaces, so they need to be re-assembled, before you can take them out. It might be a good idea, to ring in advance. This way, you can determine whether the chair is available for the time and day you would like it.

***To borrow some of the beach wheelchairs, you might need to pay a refundable deposit, and some have a hire fee. Some chairs can be loaned for several days at a time.

More information at:
Disabled Surfers Association webpage
GetGoStay webpage
Achievable Concepts

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Dexter in his beach wheelchair
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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Naree Sauer

1/31/2015 01:46:41 am

What a fantastic idea I work for a disability organisation in central queensland any chance of getting one of these chairs in the future for the yeppoon area

Love dexter

1/31/2015 05:16:34 am

HI Naree. We don't sell the beach wheelchairs. Dexter has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and we've been lucky enough to enjoy a few beaches, in public beach wheelchairs. We made the list, so more people would know where they could access the chairs. You could fundraise, or ask your council to help you get one. They are great! Carol, Dexter's aunt.

Narelle

2/3/2015 02:51:43 pm

working on it atm with a proposal in the works but currently you can hire from the AFS on the corner of Elphinstone and Berserker sts in Rocky they had them at the beach at the party for national disablility week celebrations last year hire them during the week or weekend :)

Love Dexter

2/4/2015 11:27:45 am

Good luck with the proposal! I've added your information, thank you!

Vanessa Neilson

1/31/2015 02:02:02 am

Fantastic effort. But you seemed to have missed Tasmania off the list, We do have a few beaches here who have wheelchairs. Like Somerset surf club & ulverstone surf club

Love Dexter

1/31/2015 05:18:13 am

Hi Vanessa. This is the list compiled from internet research. We'll be updating the list, with the ones being mentioned over at Have Wheelchair Will Travel. I'll be sure to add the two you mentioned, too. Thanks.

Pauline

1/31/2015 05:52:01 am

Thankyou so much for this website. I think you have done anamazing job of listing all these beaches. So many families will be able to get benefit from being able to allow their son/daughter to now be able to acces the beach.

Love Dexter link

2/1/2015 04:17:37 am

Hi Pauline. So many of the beach wheelchairs get put into a shed, and rarely get brought back out on to the sand. Hopefully, this list might help people get back to the beach. Thanks for your lovely comments.

Barbara Herrick link

2/1/2015 03:14:15 am

Recently I was able to access a beach wheelchair from Woolgoola Surf
Life Saving Club to attend a ceremony for the scattering of ashes of a dear friend who had lived in Woolgoola for some years. Without the beach wheelchair, it would have been impossible to attend. I am suffering from Post Polio Syndrome and now unable to walk without help outside my home, let alone a beach !!! So thank you Woolgoola Surf Living Club.

Love Dexter link

2/1/2015 04:15:47 am

Hi Barbara. That is beautiful. I'm so glad you got to join in. Well done, Woolgoolga Surf Club! x

Vanessa T

2/3/2015 01:20:14 am

Point Leo Surf Life Saving Club on the Mornington Peninsula in Vic also has a beach wheelchair available.

http://pointleo.com/beach-wheelchair/

Love Dexter link

2/3/2015 06:21:11 am

Thanks, Vanessa. That's great. I will add that tonight.

Grant

2/3/2015 01:34:47 am

Bayside City Council is not responsible for the Mobi-chair at Rickett Point. Instead please contact http://getcreated.com/contact-me

Love Dexter link

2/3/2015 06:20:07 am

Thanks, Grant. I'll add that and fix it up. Thanks for the information. Carol

Gary Blaschke link

2/3/2015 03:03:18 am

Well guys people are just becoming aware of the beach wheelchairs, yet the Disabled Surfers Association have been using and promoting them for around fifteen years.
Councils are reluctant to support them in many regions because of Insurance issues and the responsibility is left to individuals or local groups.
The DSA is leading the charge to have an "Adopt a Beach" program established to have one beach in each region dedicated as an accessible beach. Therefore having the appropriate infrastructure in place like parking, ramps, toilets and beach wheelchairs. Having Council lifeguards trained on basic skills to help the disabled on the daily outings to the beach.
It's not much to consider considering that most local governments are not catering for at least 32% of their community when it comes to access to an appropriate and well selected beach.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics states that 18.5% of Australians have some form of disability. Adding mobility and aging issues we have at least 32% not being catered for. It's about time that all levels of Government catered for nearly one third of their constituents?

Love Dexter link

2/3/2015 06:25:07 am

Hi Gary. I had heard something about insurance and responsibility issues, regarding the chairs. About 18 months ago, we heard about the DSA, and Dexter joined last year. He has been surfing twice, with the DSA South Coast. It is such a great organisation, and we had a fantastic time with Dexter and the DSA crew, on the beach. We've blogged about the DSA a few times, and included the DSA in the credits to this post. Keep up the great work. #SmilesonDials
http://bit.ly/dexsurf
It would be great seeing more beaches becoming disability friendly. Great idea, the "Adopt a Beach' program. Good luck!

gary blaschke link

2/4/2015 03:55:27 am

It's only been around fifteen to twenty years when we first had the idea of Accessible beaches. Most Councils are reluctant to come on board as they are scared of the ramifications and cost. The community has just completed a new accessible ramp at Lakes Beach on the Central Coast and even though it is being used by not only the local community, people are coming from the outer suburbs of Sydney for a day trip and take their loved ones for a walk along the beach. No body knows more than the DSA of the therapeutic value of the ocean.

Love Dexter

2/4/2015 11:30:24 am

It's a shame when things get lost in the red tape tangle of insurance. We posted about DSA, and Dexter's first surf here http://bit.ly/dexsurf You might be interested. There's a video in the link, and more on his you tube channel. Keep up the good work.

Aven

2/3/2015 05:55:47 am

Any in south Australia???

Love Dexter

2/3/2015 06:26:34 am

Hi Aven. not that we know of. Surely, there has to be some! We'll keep looking.

gary blaschke link

2/4/2015 06:53:56 am

Yes Aven, we have a branch in South Australia and all main land states plus New Zealand. Just look up our website at www.disabledsurfers.org

Emma

2/3/2015 05:57:21 am

you can add Merewether SLSC, Dixon Park SLSC and Newcastle SLSC to the list of locations in the Hunter. All three clubs received one only in the last month.

Love Dexter link

2/3/2015 06:19:15 am

Hi Emma. Thank you for that. What great news! I will add it tonight. Carol

Sue Ellis

2/4/2015 12:31:04 am

Beach wheelchairs also available @ Ocean Grove (Vic) via OG DSA

Anne

2/4/2015 12:39:44 am

Angelsea YMCA Victoria - (03) 5263 1512

Gail Harris link

2/4/2015 06:48:53 am

Two that I know of in this region - FNQ - Palm Cove Cairns and Four Mile Beach Port Douglas, not listed on your map see : http://www.thetourspecialists.com.au/travel-tips/disabled-travelers/wheelchair-access-for-palm-cove.315.html for where and how to access them. Free hire.

Elizabeth Sturt

2/4/2015 09:11:03 am

I am sad not to see any of these chairs on SA beaches. Come on everyone! Get behind a rally to have them here in Adelaide, at least!

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