We stopped in to Geraldton for two nights on our Western Australia Coral Coast road trip and found that this coastal town offers excellent accessibility including beach matting and beach wheelchairs. It was particularly heartening to meet Peter, a local with a real passion for access and inclusion. If you are touring the Coral Coast, it’s worth stopping at Geraldton to check out the accessible facilities for yourself.
Geraldton, Western Australia – accessibility
The City of Greater Geraldton has a commitment to access and inclusion which is fabulous for local residents and visitors alike.
Armed with our MLAK key we headed to the Changing Places bathroom to access the Hippocampe beach wheelchair which is stored there. Braeden was thrilled to be able to access the beach so we took it to the nearby beach matting on Town Beach to take advantage of the warm day and the turquoise water that was beckoning.
The Changing Places bathroom is located in the Youth Precinct near Stow Gardens. If you don’t have your own MLAK key you can use one of the ones kept at Sail Inn snack Bar, Geraldton Multipurpose Centre GMC or at the Two Foreshore Café.
The Changing Places bathroom offers a hoist for transferring to the Hippocampe beach wheelchair, a adult-size change table, toilet and shower bench with height-adjustable shower wand.
Find accessible accommodation in Geraldton here.
At the southern end of the Geraldton Foreshore and close to the Changing Places bathroom is a lovely accessible walk along the Esplanade with views of Geraldton and Seal Rock. We managed to spot a couple of sea lions in the distance from the lookout but they were too far away for Braeden to see as he cannot use binoculars.
On our way back I spotted an electric bike which we would have hired if we’d had more time. It would have been perfect for exploring the Geraldton foreshore with Braeden able to ride at the back while Hubby peddled up front. Of course it would be Hubby peddling so I could take photos and video! Good excuse right?
We met with local champion Peter Nelson who handles the bookings for the other equipment available free to loan for use at the beach. It was wonderful to chat with someone so invested in everyone being able to access Geraldton’s beaches.
The second beach access matting point is located at Champion Beach, near the iconic Rubik’s Cube toilets on the Geraldton Foreshore. It’s great to see that the beach matting has been made possible thanks to a collaboration between the City of Greater Geraldton, Access to Leisure and Sport (ATLAS) and Champion Bay Surf Life Saving Club (CBSLSC). A stand-alone unisex accessible bathroom is available close to the beach matting entry point to the beach.
The surf life saving club stores the equipment and manages the bookings for a second Hippocampe beach wheelchair and a beach walker. An online booking form needs to be completed if you’d like to use the equipment. The form can be found here.
Bookings can be made through Champion Bay Surf Life Saving Club (CBSLSC) on 08 9956 6600 or Peter Nelson on 0407 471 828.
The water views from the Geraldton Foreshore are fabulous but there’s an even better view waiting at the HMAS Sydney 11 Memorial. The memorial honours the fallen in the World War II battle off the Western Australian coast and has a stunning location on the top of a hill overlooking Geraldton.
Accessible parking and a ramp leading to the memorial provide access to all.
Even if you don’t want to get the sand between your toes, the Geraldton Foreshore offers a paved accessible walk and plenty of spots to enjoy a picnic or barbecue with undercover seating.
Accessible parking is located at various points along the foreshore.
A good spot to picnic is at  Beresford Foreshore where you can also check out ‘Horizon,’ a piece of public art which is particularly spectacular at sunset.
Our visit to Geraldton was more of an opportunity to take a rest during our road trip but we found we had plenty to keep us busy during our short stay. It’s definitely not a town to overlook.
Stay tuned for a review coming of the two bedroom accessible apartment we stayed in during our time in Geraldton.
Find accessible accommodation in Geraldton here.
