Our beaches are for everyone, and we want to make them more accessible to ensure an inclusive experience for people of all abilities, neurodiversity and age.

The all abilities access ramp will break down barriers to accessing the beach and allow everyone the opportunity to enjoy a day in the sun, surf and sand. The ramp will facilitate safe and easy access to the beach and is accessibly designed for:

• people with disability
• people with mobility challenges
• people using prams, wagons and other wheeled transport

The all abilities access ramp will be located at Coolum Beach, adjacent to the Coolum Beach Surf Life Saving Club and Tickle Park. Features of ramp include:

• seamless integration with the top walkway and carpark at Coolum Beach
• improved access to the water from the carpark and walkway
• Disability Discrimination Act (1992) compliant
• ability for wheelchair matting to be attached to the lower section of the ramp.

Head to the 'explore the changes' tab at the top of the page to find out more about the design and view the artist impressions.

This project is proudly funded by the Queensland Government's Southeast Queensland Community Stimulus Program in association with Sunshine Coast Council.

We want to know how we can improve the design to make it more accessible for people of all abilities, so we are inviting the community to review the artist impressions for the ramp and provide feedback. You can provide feedback by completing the online survey in the ‘feedback survey’ tab located at the top of the page.

Community consultation is open from Tuesday 17 June to Tuesday 15 July at 5pm.

After consultation closes, we will review feedback and refine the design for the all abilities access ramp at Coolum Beach. We will report back to the community on the outcomes of the engagement and the finalised plans.

Council endorsed the All Abilities Action Plan 2024-2028 at an ordinary meeting on 6 November 2023. The plan helps to create a more inclusive region where everyone can participate equally, contribute fully and feel respected and valued, with a sense of belonging.

The All Abilities Action Plan 2024-2028 includes removing access barriers as a key principle. Beach access was also identified as one of three top areas for improvement. The plan recognises that people with disability may require additional support to achieve equitable access. The construction of an accessible beach ramp is essential and is consistent with the aims of the plan.

Council has a role in helping to remove barriers for those living with a disability and improving infrastructure to make areas more accessible. Currently, an all abilities beach access ramp on the Sunshine Coast does not exist, however, a large DDA compliant ramp is planned for the Mooloolaba Foreshore Revitalisation Project.

Why this location?

• An area for improvement identified in the Coolum Village Centre Landscape Master Plan - Tickle Park is improved access to the beach from the park. The only existing access is by a stairway leading down to the beach, or by taking the steep boat ramp. A DDA compliant ramp has been determined a high priority for the park.
• Coolum Beach is one of the most popular areas on the Sunshine Coast. Building an all abilities access ramp will allow more opportunities for people of all abilities to experience the area.
• The access ramp will complement the existing accessible beach program at Coolum Beach, which offers beach matting, wheelchairs, and life jackets for use at no charge.
• Coolum Beach is patrolled, and borders the main shopping precinct and town; Tickle Park provides a key link between the town and the beach and has existing accessible toilets, excellent picnic areas and public amenities.

Community engagement previously undertaken through strategic work such as the Coolum Village Centre Landscape Master Plan and All Abilities Action Plan 2024-2028 emphasises the need to provide equitable access to beach areas.

Location

The all abilities access ramp will be located at Coolum Beach, adjacent to the Coolum Beach Surf Life Saving Club and Tickle Park. The site location is identified in the aerial image below.

The site location will provide seamless integration with the top walkway and the small off street carpark at Coolum Beach, and direct access to the beach. When beach matting is deployed, the ramp will provide direct access to the water as shown in the below image.

Design

The all abilities access ramp is designed to have a low impact on coastal processes. For instance:

• sand can easily pass under the ramp and through the small holes in the mesh decking
• water can easily pass between all the materials used in the design
• small piles will be installed in the bedrock to support the foundation, which is the least invasive way of building this type of ramp.

The proposed design includes the following features:

• 2.2 meters in width to allow passing of two larger wheelchairs and/ or mobility scooters
• gentle grading for the top and bottom ramp with regular landings
• use of materials such as mesh decking, hardwood timber and coloured concrete to match the relaxed Coolum vibe
• inclusion of handrails and balustrades
• inclusion of new shower facilities
• DDA (Disability Discrimination Act 1992) compliant (pending review by an accessibility consultant).

The carpark adjacent to the Coolum Beach Surf Life Saving Club is also being proposed to be relined, to include 4-5 accessible parking bays and 4-5 standard bays. There are existing accessible toilets onsite to the west.

Review the proposed design in the artist impressions below. Move the slider to compare the before and after images from viewpoints 1, 2 and 3 as detailed in the above aerial image of the site.