As a newbie to this wheelchair game I was feeling a little reticent and self-conscious about using a beach wheelchair during our recent visit to Noosa in beautiful Queensland’s sunshine coast. It really had been ages since feeling sand and water under my feet and why else would we be at this Aussie iconic beach destination?

We tracked the wheelchair down at a nearby hotel, and for a mere gold coin donation this rubber-wheeled jalopy was ours and I was on the pathway to salty watery freedom with a small dose of terror.

After Gaz helped me transfer into a well used and older style beach wheelchair I quickly acclimatized to the relative mid-level comfort of a bar against my lower vertebrae, slightly awkward extended footrests and the weird feeling of being lower than usual. Rolling through the laneway onto the beach pass was reasonably easy for all involved.

Adding to the characteristic beach sounds of excited children, small swells rushing up to the shoreline and a gull or two was the highly hilarious flubberty, flubberty sounds of the large balloon-type polyurethane rear wheels. The enjoyment of how beach sojourn became a little more Leanne sided with poor Gaz pushing through loose sand particles as we descended into the water. Of course, the effort was worth it for me as the water felt delicious. We stayed in one position just soaking up the surroundings and allowing Gaz’s breathing to return to normal.

However, you know how when you stand still for too long at the edge of the water and your feet stink further with each title water movement? Funny thing –it happens with wheels as well. To free the chair from the sand Gaz to great delight in ferociously tipping me back and turning so that I was temporary levitating parallel to the sand staring at the sky. My screams were not from enjoyment.

Seriously though, it really is fantastic Beach wheelchairs have become more and more commonplace. As I obviously had not even considered them before I became less mobile I am even more impressed that they are available on many beaches in Australia now. A lot of local councils and Shires offer free hire, but booking is required. Beach matting is also becoming more commonplace thanks to crowdfunding, corporate investment and some councils getting on board around Australia.

Accessible beaches Australia is one fantastic organisation founded in 2016 and achieved the opening of the first to accessible beaches in Queensland ( Noosa and Burleigh heads) and the second accessible beach in Victoria (Williamstown) with beach matting available during peak times along with Beach wheelchair hire.

Happy living and playing,