Hi, my name is Kate. Like so many of us, I love the beach. It’s a huge part of our national identity. No beach in Australia is more iconic than Bondi Beach. Millions of people visit it every year. However, wheelchair users are restricted to the footpaths and carparks of Bondi. I am one of those people.

That’s why I’m calling on Waverley Council to make the iconic Bondi Beach fully accessible, 365 days a year.

When I was five years old, I was involved in a car accident that left me paralysed from the chest down. I’ve been a wheelchair user ever since. My disability made me quite shy until I was 21 when I attended a rehabilitation centre in Sydney, enabling me to gain greater independence and improve my confidence.

I’m a country kid. Like many people from around Australia and around the world, I’ve always seen Bondi as a holiday destination. While in Sydney, a new friend and I decided to visit the famous Bondi Beach. We were two people in wheelchairs making a day trip from Ryde to Bondi. It was quite an adventure.

Once we reached Bondi, we got as far as the footpath. We could only look at the beach.

I loved seeing Bondi Beach and I so wanted to experience it the way everyone else gets to. On the sand. In the water. Being a part of the fun with everyone else. I want it to be inclusive.

The solution isn’t as complicated as you might think. Here’s all it would take:

1. Beach matting allowing wheelchair users to experience the beach and travel all the way to the hard sand near the water.
2. Compliant ramps for safe access to the sand.

The good news is, Bondi Beach already has accessible parking and toilets, which would be the most significant expense for Waverley Council.

Beach mats are important for people like me in wheelchairs. They allow us to enjoy the beach while remaining in the comfort of our own chair. I’ve learnt that the accessible beach matting is cheap and easy to use: lifeguards can roll it out daily when they put out the flags. Plus, it’s already in use at beaches around Australia. So why not at Bondi?

The affordable matting and an accessibility upgrade are all it would take. I would just love to see one of the most famous beaches in the world being enjoyed by people with disabilities.

Will you help me convince Waverley Council to make Bondi Beach fully accessible?

Please sign and share this petition, and join my campaign. I don’t want to be parked on the concrete while my family and friends are down enjoying the warm sand.