100 Hitchcock, Barwon Heads, Victoria ( Wathaurong Country)-Accessibility Review
100 Hitchcock Ave, Barwon Heads, Vic.
Time with my adult daughter is always a treasured activity and I had the joy of sharing an accessible weekend not only with Amy but my sons’ partner’s and their Mum’s too. Talking, roll-strolling, eating and window shopping were high priorities on this beautiful winters weekend. Wheelchair accessible 100 Hitchcock was the perfect base for such a relaxing time .
Booking
Super easy process online with lovely personalised emails and the chance to make any requests at all particularly regarding accessibility items. The payment process is very streamlined and professional.
Best of all this is one website that lists all its property features and has multiple pictures. And the owners have gone on to create an absolutely desperately needed business catering for people with disabilities and their families to book holidays, Accessible Accommodation, Click here for more detail. Other accessible accommodation places -take note!!!
We had very easy instructions regarding the key collection, loaded up with my equipment and headed down to the Bellarine Peninsula.
Accommodation
The seaside village of Barwon Heads is a short 1 ½ drive from Melbourne. The driveway of 100 Hitchcock is super flat gravel with a lovely flush timber path leading to the front door. This does have a slight lip on it which is still easy to get over in a power chair but the internal garage doorway provides completely flush entry as well.
All space-saving cavity slider doorways have a clearance width of between 115 - 130 cm. The exception is bathroom 2 which has an effective doorway of 77cm. This bathroom is not the prime accessible bathroom but does sport a lipless roll-in shower, bench height of 66cm and rollunder of 55cm and is a good size.
The main accessible bathroom is the ensuite off the huge master bedroom. The bathroom total length is 5 metres, width 155cm. The roll-in shower has a depth of 125cm, a width of 188cm and an entry of 88cm.
The main bedroom is huge with a 60 cm high queen size bed that has welcome room underneath for hoist clearance.
The separate sinks are 70cm roll under clearance and height of 83cm with no bench either side of them. The low profile toilet has a portable floor toilet roll holder which is super handy when using an over toilet shower/commode.
There is plenty of storage space for those staying for longer and the ensuite has a hairdryer, non slip shower mat and portable grab rails.
The garage has the equipment to use at no extra costs such as a modern, electric lift hoist (BYO sling for hygiene reasons), a beach wheelchair, 2 types of toilet frames, a rollator, a highchair and a pushbike among other things.
Update 2022- A handrail has been placed along the long wall of the shower and a timber shelf is right along the basin and the fully accessible on ensuite.
In Summary
Barwon Heads is truly beautiful little village that I have always enjoyed and now accessible beach house ,100 Hitchcock, has made it easy for me to revisit this special hamlet. We loved having such easy access to the centre of the Barwon Heads township within 100 metres roll of swimming, dining, viewing and shopping.
The concrete and grassy paths are very wheelchair friendly and only a few shops have a step up to the entrance . There is a lovely walk along the bridge to the Ocean Grove surf beach and a concrete path along the sand on the ocean side.
An accessible beach break is a wonderful rejuvenator - thanks 100 Hitchcock.
Happy accessible travelling,
