Western Australian National Parks to be made more accessible for people with disability

May 31, 2022

A new $2 million initiative - Accessible Parks WA - is set to improve disability access in Western Australia’s national parks and across its conservation estate.

Accessible Parks WA is a partnership between the State Government, Nature Play WA and Break the Boundary Inc to develop trails, paths, canoe ramps, boardwalks and activity hubs, as well as improved visitor information on the Explore Parks WA website for people with disability.

Nature Play WA will also deliver events, lesson plans for schools, and employ innovative methods to share WA's unique ecology and Aboriginal culture, so that families of children of all abilities can enjoy areas including nature reserves, marine parks and national parks.

Break the Boundary, which supports adaptive mountain biking and trail use, will build on its existing activity hub near Kalamunda by developing two new regional activity hubs.

The four main components of the Accessible Parks WA initiative are:

$1million for infrastructure improvements for visitors with disability in parks including Perth Hills, Walpole-Nornalup, Lake Kepwari, Yanchep and Dryandra;
$570,000 towards a Nature Play WA partnership delivering the 'Every Kid in a Park' initiative to connect children with disability to the conservation estate via an app;
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions will partner with Break the Boundary to develop in-park access experiences for visitors with disability, with $250,000 invested in the creation of two regional activity hubs; and
$180,000 for disability access information improvements on the Explore Parks WA website.

WA Environment Minister Reece Whitby notes "making parks more accessible helps improve the wellbeing of people with disability and the health of the wider community. I look forward to partnering with Nature Play WA and Break the Boundary to promote recreational activities in national parks around the State."

WA Disability Services Minister Don Punch enthused "this is a fantastic initiative to improve access to some of WA's wonderful national parks for the benefit of all people with disability.

"I particularly look forward to seeing the enjoyment these upgraded and more accessible facilities bring children and young people with disability, their carers, family and friends, service providers and educators."

Image: Andrew Leddawi in Cape to Cape MTB race - a 4 day Mountain Bike Stage Race held in Margaret River WA. Credit Travis Deane

28th May 2022 - Accessibility upgrades to benefit National Water Sports Centre

11th May 2022 - Melbourne signage ‘Braille Bombed’ to raise accessibility awareness

26th April 2022 - New Barossa Heritage Trails App makes region’s history and heritage more accessible

26th January 2022 - New Zealand Walking Access Commission recognises impact of women on accessing the outdoors

23rd December 2021 - Kangaroo Island’s accessible boardwalk at Remarkable Rocks now open

13th December 2021 - Seoul promotes itself as an accessible tourism city

8th December 2021 - NSW Government commits to delivering equal access to better public spaces at World Urban Parks Congress

7th December 2021 - New lookout and viewing platform offers improved access at Minyon Falls

24th September 2021 - Lower Blue Mountains to have its first accessible bushland track

18th March 2021 - Hills Shire commits to providing more accessible playspaces

15th March 2021 - Improved accessibility planned for Bega’s Tura Headland

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.