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Mornington Peninsula BeachesMelbourne, AustraliaFrankston - A great example of Accessibility Frankston city council has proved to be a leader in providing facilities for the disabled. Sitting at the head of the Mornington Peninsula it provides access to one of Melbourne's great summer playgrounds, Port Phillip Bay. The Frankston foreshore provides one of the few fully accessible beach activity centres on the Peninsula. The main car park at Kananook creek has picnic facilities, disabled toilets and a cafe as well as access to the Frankston pier and a paved access area to the beach next to the Pier. The lifesaving club, about a kilometre to the north of the pier proves a paved access ramp to the beach, a cafe on the beach within a paved area next to the ramp and beach wheelchairs for transit across the sand to the waters edge. Seaford Pier 5 kilometres to the north of Frankston is the Seaford Pier reserve. There has been considerable work done on improving accessibility to the new cafe at the lifesavings club. A new toilet complex has been constructed with a well equipped accessible bathroom. Access via the beach side only as there is a step on the carpark side. The cafe is fully accessible as is the wooden deck overlooking the bay and the beach below. There is no easy access to the beach from this location. There is an access way for the lifesaving club vehicles on the northern side of the complex but considerable help would be required. Access to the pier is available although there is a short steep pinch from the path onto the jetty itself which would require assistance. Sorrento Accessible parking and toilet facilities are provided at Sorrento at the ferry car park. Three spaces are available, however all three are only standard car park width but designated with blue markings. If both are occupied near the toilet block egress from a vehicle through side doors with a wheelchair would be difficult or impossible. The park nearest the ferry jetty does have a median next to it so reversing into the space would provide exit room. No spaces at this car park would be suitable for a van with side loading ramp. Rye Rye is a picturesque town and well serviced with leisure and picnic facilities. Its jetty is one of the longest on the bay. Its beaches are shallow and very safe. Unfortunately it is extremely poorly equipped for the disabled. Parking facilities are provided at the beach end of the car park. Like Sorrento they are only a normal cars width but both have a non parking half bay next to them which provides room for wheelchair egress and side loading vans. Along the foreshore is a paved pathway which is smooth and level, however there is no paved access from the car park to the paved pathway. The curb cutouts are narrow and steep and straight into soft sand which must be traversed to reach the pathway and access to the jetty. There are no disabled toilet facilities provided. Mornington Mornington is a sheltered harbour and is the home to a large ocean racing fleet. It is a quaint little harbour nestled below sandstone cliffs and almost has a European feel to it. It is sheltered by a large jetty which is popular year round with fisherman and walkers strolling its length. The Yacht club has recently opened a restaurant and their is a dockside cafe with sit down and take away facilities. During the summer months it is a focal point for the locals and visitors alike. Unfortunately it facilities for the disabled are appalling. In the main car park near the cafe and jetty there are only two two disabled parking bays. As with others on the Mornington Peninsula they are simply a standard car bay with blue disabled markings, making them unusable for wheelchair users. There are no facilities for side ramp vans. At the site of the car bays there are no cuts in the curbs which requires wheeling the full length of the car park, uphill, to gain access to the footpath leading back to the dock and access to the jetty. During off peak times parking is available in unmarked bays adjacent to the jetty for access directly onto the jetty. The cafe has ramped access but the restaurant in the Yacht Club has no disabled access. There are no disabled toilet facilities available. It is an indictment on the Shire of Mornington that one of their primary tourist attractions has only token facilities for the disabled in the way of impractical and unusable parking facilities. |
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