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 while 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. Of that, $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 that despite repeated attempts, he had 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.”
