Over summer, people with mobility needs were able to enjoy our beautiful foreshore thanks to accessible beach matting and floating wheelchairs (Mobi-Chairs) at St Kilda and Port Melbourne beaches. (Matting only is always available at Elwood Beach.)
At St Kilda beach, visitors could also book an all‑terrain powered wheelchair, with the added comfort if needed of a nearby Changing Places accessible toilet.
None of this would be possible without the incredible support of the St Kilda and Port Melbourne Life Saving Clubs, whose volunteers brought energy, care and enthusiasm to every beach day. This season the program welcomed a record number of mobility chair bookings with the 50 per cent increase proof of how much these services matter. Increased assistance was also provided to organisations wishing to provide support to clients to access our beaches.
Achieve Your Dream Foundation founder Karen Major chose scenic St Kilda beach earlier this year as the place to make dreams come true for Rodney, Tamara and Robert.
Accompanied by Karen and other Foundation “dream makers” (volunteers), Tamara and Rodney experienced the simple joy of floating in the water in their Mobi‑Chairs – relaxed and smiling from ear to ear. The trio also enjoyed “beach cruising” in the powered wheelchair.
“Our Foundation is passionate about great quality of life and fun experiences for people with disabilities,” Karen said.
“A beach day is a perfect example of making a dream possible for people who may have otherwise missed out on this joyful experience.”
For Rodney and Robert, it was their first beach trip, while Tamara had never been able to enter the water to this depth before.
“Their smiles spoke a million words,” Karen said. “The power of people coming together is the foundation of what makes the impossible possible.”
Karen praised the lifeguards who were on hand throughout the two-day visits. “They were so helpful – and they said they genuinely love being part of this.”
