More access to our beaches this year
Published on 12 January 2022
Our popular accessible beach matting has once again been rolled out at two locations on our Peninsula, with another three about to be added.
We’re pleased to announce we’ve added four new sites along our Bay beaches and will continue to offer matting at Mount Martha beach in a successful partnership with the Mount Martha Lifesaving Club.
This is the largest roll out of beach matting on our Peninsula and the greatest number of locations offered by any municipality in Victoria.
Beach matting locations are at:
- Mothers beach, Mornington
- Mount Martha beach – in front of the lifesaving club
- Rosebud beach – next to the jetty
- Rye front beach – next to the pier
- Sorrento front beach – next to The Baths restaurant.
Access to the beach and the shore is about dignity and social inclusion and it’s an important part of our Disability Inclusion Plan. We’re hopeful this expanded beach matting program will support more people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility the chance to get across the sand to the water’s edge.
The matting is now available for use at Mount Martha and Sorrento and will be available at Mornington, Rosebud and Rye towards the end of January.
The new sites will be rolled out on a trial basis this summer to find out if they’re suitable locations for matting on a regular basis. Look out for signage at each beach directing you to a survey to have your say.
The matting is made from recycled plastic bottles, is slip resistant and provides a sturdy path closer to the water’s edge for people with limited mobility. It offers opportunities such as grandparents and grandchildren to play together at the beach, wheelchair users to have sensory play in the water or just to have the basic right to feel the cool water on a hot day.
The matting will be out until April 2022.
This year’s rollout of beach matting was slightly delayed due to a change of insurance arrangements.
Insurance for our beach matting program this year has been provided through an agreement between the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA), allowing us to provide four additional locations on our Peninsula.
For more information about beach matting at each of the five locations please visit:
mornpen.vic.gov.au/accessiblerecreation
Have your Say
We’re working to make our Peninsula accessible to everyone and would love your feedback on our Universal Design Policy. Do you think our community is designed with you in mind? Have your say:
mornpen.vic.gov.au/universaldesign
Quotes attributable to Mayor Councillor Anthony Marsh:
"We’re thrilled to provide a record number of locations offering beach matting this year and we hope our community enjoys a safe summer at the beach.
We thank the Mount Martha Lifesaving Club for being early adopters and continuing with this wonderful initiative.”