Beach wheelchairs will be available for hire at Williamstown and Altona Beaches from Sunday 1 December when Council's accessible beaches program begins for summer 2020.
The start of the program coincides with International Day of People with a Disability on 3 December. For the first time in the state, the beach wheelchairs will be available 12pm to 5pm seven days a week throughout January. This is thanks to a partnership with the Altona Lifesaving Club, Williamstown Swimming and Lifesaving Club and Altona Village Traders Association.
Beach-goers with mobility impairments can hire a wheelchair free of charge and collect them from the lifesaving clubs in Altona and Williamstown. There are a number of wheelchairs available to suit different needs and purposes including:
- Sandcruiser which is designed for adults to travel on the sand along the beach (available at Altona)
- Sandpiper which is designed for children to travel on the sand along the beach (available at Altona and Williamstown)
- MobiChair which is designed to enter the water to waist height of the support person (available at Altona and Williamstown)
- DaVinci manual self-propelled beach wheelchair (available at Altona)
In addition to the beach wheelchairs, accessible beach matting is available at Altona and Williamstown Beaches throughout the year. Beach lockers and an accessible change facility with a hoist and full-sized change table are also available at Altona Beach. This facility can be
