To accommodate growing demand for estara’s beach access program for people with disabilities, the Malinauskas Government has delivered new funding to allow for it to expand in the 2025 summer season.
The program, which has been run by disability support organisation estara for the past three summers, is offering six supported beach access sessions at Glenelg beach between January and March.
A Malinauskas Government grant through Round One of the 2024-25 Social Impact program allocated nearly $10,000 in funding to estara to purchase a Mobichair floating wheelchair and eight Milo waterproof communicators, allowing for more people to access the beach for each nominated day.
Growing demand last year saw each session being booked out, with additional drop in participants attending on the day.
The program provides people with mobility needs the opportunity to engage in an everyday activity and operates as a ‘come and try’ session that seeks to empower participants to attend ‘self-serve’ beaches, which allow for spontaneous visits with friends and family.
In addition to Glenelg, four other metropolitan Adelaide and two regional South Australian beaches are classed as accessible, with Henley Beach, Seacliff, Semaphore, Semaphore South, Normanville and Whyalla Foreshore allowing varying levels of accessibility.
estara provides trained staff, including occupational therapists, to support with volunteering on beach days.
Upcoming sessions for 2025 will take place on Sunday 9 February, Saturday 22 February, Friday 7 March and Saturday 22 March.
For a full directory of accessible beaches visit: accessiblebeaches.com/beach-directory.
