Queenscliff beach gets accessibility upgrade

THE Borough of Queenscliffe has launched a beach accessibility trial as it works to create more opportunities for locals and visitors with mobility impairments to experience the sun and surf.

Beach access matting has been installed between the Searoad Ferries terminal and the Queenscliff Pier, extending from the end of the Tandberg boardwalk down to the beach below.

It follows similar successful accessibility trials at beaches along the Surf Coast, with the matting designed to allow everyone, particularly people with mobility aids or those using specialised equipment like beach wheelchairs, to safely access the beach.

Improving beach access was flagged as a key priority for the council in its 2024-2025 access and inclusion plan, with the borough previously the only local government area in the Barwon South West region without at least one beach accessible to people with significant mobility issues.

The mats can be used by everyone but are not recommended for motorised mobility scooters as there isn’t sufficient room to turn around at the end of the mat.

“I’m so pleased the borough has finally provided these mats to help those with limited mobility to access our beautiful water,” mayor Di Rule said.

“Being in the sea helps everyone – you’ll never regret a swim.”

The beach accessibility trial is being conducted in partnership with the borough’s Lived Experience Disability Group (LEDG or LEDGends), which was formed in August 2022 and currently comprises 10 members, to determine how the mats perform under local conditions.

These conditions include Queenscliff’s specific tidal movements, including king tides, storms and regular variations in beach sand.

The matting will remain in place until the end of April, and both the borough and the LEDGends will evaluate the success of the location, the community’s experiences with the matting and additional improvements that can be made as part of the trial.

A spokesperson for the borough said, subject to successful grant bids, the council was hoping to secure additional equipment and facilities, such as beach access wheelchairs and all-terrain mobility walkers, to further support the community to participate on the beach with their friends and families.

The borough will now host two ‘come and try’ days on Saturday, March 29 and Friday, April 11 to give locals with limited mobility an opportunity to experience some of this equipment for themselves.

The Tandberg boardwalk sits within the Queenscliff Foreshore Reserve and is located across the road from the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum.

For more information, or to register for a ‘come and try’ day, contact the council on 5258 1377.