It may only be October, but 22-year-old Kayden Crombie is already planning his first trip to the beach in four years. That was how long ago he last felt salt water on his skin, before he became a wheelchair user.
“I can look at the 2025-2026 summer and now properly think about a beach trip,” he says. “Not only just one by myself, but one with friends.”
Kayden Crombie is pushed by Frankston Councillor Nathan Butler at Frankston beach.Credit: Penny Stephens
Cooling off in Port Phillip Bay or on the coast on a summer day is something most Victorians take for granted, but for people who need a wheelchair or a mobility aid, that dignity is limited to just a handful of beaches in a state with more than 2500 kilometres of coastline.
Frankston Beach, in Melbourne’s south-east, will become the nation’s “most accessible beach” this summer with an unprecedented investment from the council in equipment and staff to accommodate beachgoers who need assistance on the sand and in the water.
There are already 15 beaches in Victoria considered accessible, which usually have some or all of the following: disability car parking, accessible bathrooms, beach matting and a beach wheelchair available.
But what Frankston is about to roll out on top of those services is unparalleled by anything that’s been tried in Australia, according to Shane Hryhorec, founder of Accessible Beaches Australia, which has partnered with Frankston City Council.
Features of Frankston’s accesible beach
- A “concierge service” with dedicated staff at a desk to escort visitors to their allocated spot.
- Two staff members or volunteers on the beach to assist people in and out of the water.
- Matting on the sand to roll wheelchairs, walkers and prams to the water.
- Bookable day beds (14 in total) with shade and shelter, allowing wheelchair users to transfer directly from their chair to the bed.
- Four types of beach wheelchairs and two types of beach mobility aids.
- A hoist to move people from chair to day bed and back.
- New disability parking near the beach.
The new features include free, bookable and shaded daybeds, and dedicated staff to help beachgoers in and out of the water.
“This is a game changer moment,” he said.
Hryhorec, a former surf lifesaver, broke his neck in a pool accident in 2007. Since 2016, he’s been lobbying governments on disability access – including taking on e-scooter giants and pushing for accessibility aids at 160 beaches around the country.
He got the idea for the Frankston service last year after visiting a beach in Nice, France, which had dedicated staff, equipment and day beds.
Shane Hryhorec enjoying an accessible beach in Antibes, France last year which was the inspiration for the Frankston pilot.Credit: Accessible Beaches Australia
He was expecting to see fellow wheelchair users, but he was surprised by the more common users of the program – older people who wouldn’t be able to go to a beach without a little bit of extra support.
“That support might just be [to] hold on to the elbow of a volunteer, just for a bit of stability whilst they walked into the water,” he said.
He realised how widespread the need for accessible beaches was in Australia.
“When we talk about inclusion for this program, we’re not just talking about wheelchair users. We’re talking about our ageing population having the opportunity to actually be included at the beach.”
Frankston councillor Nathan Butler worked with locals who have accessibility needs, such as Crombie, to help shape the program and hopes it will be picked up by other councils.
“This should be the norm… this should just be standard,” Butler said. “It’s surprisingly cheap as well.”
The pilot program has been costed at $165,000. $100,000 has been paid for by donors, after Mayor Kris Bolam’s fundraising, and $65,000 came from ratepayers.
“When you think of Frankston City Council has a $300 million budget and our ratepayer contribution to this is only $65,000, that’s half a dollar per resident of a city,” he said.
Frankston local Kayden Crombie and Frankston Councillor Nathan Butler at Frankston beach. Kayden is in one of the beach accessible wheelchairs that will form part of a new initiative to make Frankston beach more inclusive. Credit: Penny Stephens
But Hryhorec said he was disappointed the initiative had not been supported by the federal government’s Accessible Australia Fund. Before the federal election, Labor announced $17.1 million for initiatives such as beach accessibility. Hryhorec said despite repeated attempts, he has received no response from federal or state officials.
A spokesperson for the federal Department of Health, Disability and Ageing confirmed that funds are delivered to councils only after states make a submission through a Federation Funding Agreement. A Victorian government spokesperson said the state was unable to act because the Commonwealth funding round for 2025-26 was yet to open.
“It’s not too late for the federal and state governments to get on board and support this program and chip in,” Hryhorec said.
The pilot program will run on the Frankston foreshore for 12 weeks from December 5. Services will be available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 10.30am and 2.30pm, and equipment and day beds can be booked through Frankston council.
Crombie is not just excited for himself – he’s excited to see others enjoying the sand and sea.
“It might have made the difference between a parent being able to come to the beach with the whole family and see their child go in the shallows and build their first sandcastle, [instead of] having to wait and see photos and videos afterwards due to not having the equipment,” he says.
“When I see that happening, I know we will have achieved something.”
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