Finding accessible activities this summer

January 18, 2024myAutonomy NDIS

The summer period is a wonderful time to get outdoors and enjoy all that Australia has to offer. But, for people who experience disability, many of the things that Aussies like to enjoy––such as the beach, park, and playgrounds for the kids, can be tricky to access.

At myAutonomy, we believe that no person should be excluded from enjoying our great country.

We’ve rounded up the most accessible activities to help you enjoy this summer with the whole family.

Accessible beaches

With an incredible coastline, and endless beaches to visit across the country, no one should be left out.

Fortunately, many of Australia’s beaches now have beach matting to the water’s edge, beach wheelchairs, and other accessible facilities. Whether you’re located in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, or the Gold Coast, chances are there’s a beach nearby that has been made accessible.

The organisation Accessible Beaches Australia is helping to make this happen across Australia and they even have a beach directory to ensure finding those beaches is simpler.

Parks and botanical gardens

Whether it’s visiting Melbourne’s Royal Botanical Gardens, the Brisbane Botanical Gardens or Sydney’s Hyde Park, a park makes a great family day out.

Many parks these days have accessible concreted paths that are suitable for wheelchairs, including ramps, gentle gradients, and accessible bathrooms on site.

Some parks even offer mobility maps to help visitors understand which parts of the park are completely accessible.

Accessible playgrounds

Most kids love to play and no child should be excluded from accessing playgrounds regardless of their needs or ability. Fortunately, there are a range of playgrounds across the country that have been built with accessibility in mind.

Pratten Park, Broadbeach is an all-abilities playground on the Gold Coast, Thorndon Park, Paradise in South Australia has an all-inclusive play area, and Nature Play at Royal Park, Parkville in Victoria is a unique, nature-based playground that’s accessible for a range of abilities––to name just a few.

We recommend searching for accessible playgrounds in your area to discover if there’s a play space that’s appropriate nearby. It’s something we hope to see more of in the future.

Getting out into nature

Exploring the great outdoors can be incredibly grounding, calming, and inspiring. It might seem for those who experience disability that access to the outdoors is impossible or incredibly limited, but that isn’t always the case.

Nature Freedom, Sonder Care Group, Out Doors Inc, Paylos Adventures, and Beyond Disability Services are just a few organisations we’ve featured in the past that offer accessible activities in outdoor settings.

Whether it’s going on a course with one of these companies, or taking a family drive into a nearby natural environment, there are often ways to gain the benefits of connecting with nature for everyone.