Shoalhaven City Council has purchased 10 new beach wheelchairs for beaches across the region including Mollymook and Lake Tabourie to provide equal access to people living with disability.
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The beach wheelchairs where prioritised during consultations for the Shoalhaven Disability Inclusion Action Plan where young people with disability and their families campaigned for easier beach access.
The Shoalhaven Access Advisory Committee successfully obtained funding through the NSW Department of Family and Community Services FundAbility Program for the wheelchairs and they were delivered on January 22.
“There has been a few children use it and they enjoyed it; no the absolutely loved it,” Adam Woodward director of lifesaving and club captain at Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club said.
“They had a ball.
“It’s never easy for people living with disabilities to get to the beach so be able to offer this in a nice, safe manner is great.
“The new ones are easier to use and have better tyres.”
The beach wheelchairs will be available free of charge through Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club and Lake Tabourie Holiday Haven Park in the Milton-Ulladulla region.
More broadly at: Shoalhaven Heads Beach Surf Club, Culburra Beach Surf Club, Sussex Inlet Beach Surf Club, Huskisson Beach and Moona Moona Creek Holiday Haven Parks, and Palm Beach Corner Store.
The locations were strategically chosen to ensure a wheelchair is available within half an hour car travel time for most residents.
The all terrain wheelchairs will provide and improve access to the beach for children and young people living with disability and inclusion in mainstream activities such as visiting the beach.
The wheelchairs will be available during beach patrol season or at other times at the discretion of wheelchair site caretakers.
Each patrolled beach site will have both an adult and child size chair available for outdoor hire and use, while the other sites have an adult size chair available for hire and use.
The beach wheelchairs are only to be used at the designated sites and only between the flags in low water. A carer will need to assist in using the beach wheelchair.
Bookings can be made through Mollymook Beach Surf Club by visiting the club or phoning Adam on 0423 436 611.
For more information please contact Community Development at Shoalhaven City Council please call 02 4429 3418 or email council@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au
