MORETON BAY OVERVIEW

Overview

The City of Moreton Bay is committed to a future where everyone has equal access to infrastructure, services and opportunities and the council has already made huge progress in this direction. A wide range of initiatives are already in place – from assistance for people to move their rubbish bins to the kerb to an award-winning program to provide children with sensory disabilities opportunities to take part in educational activities in libraries. Visitors to the region will benefit greatly from the council’s commitment to inclusion and accessibility, which is celebrated every year with activities during Disability Action Week.

Transport 

If arriving by air at Brisbane Airport, passengers with access needs can find information on how to navigate the airport using their Accessible Journey Planner on their website at bne.com.au.

Translink is the main public transport provider in the region, and most of its vehicles – including buses, trains, ferries and trams – are accessible with allocated spaces for people who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters. For full details visit translink.com.au and check out the Accessibility page under the Travel with Us tab. Further information on the accessibility of trains and railway stations can be found on the Queensland Rail website.

Beaches 

Moreton Bay was one of the first councils in Queensland to begin making its beaches accessible to people with limited mobility. Beach matting that allows wheelchair and mobility scooter users – as well as those using walking frames, seniors and people pushing prams – has been installed at Woorim (PRON: ‘woo-rim’) Beach on Bribie (PRON: ‘bri-bee’) Island and Suttons Beach in Redcliffe. 

At Woorim Beach a continuous pathway connects accessible parking in the car park off North Street to Access Point 12 off Bluey Piva (PRON: ‘pee-va’) Park. There are two types of wheelchairs available for free from Bribie Island Surf Lifesaving Club on weekends and public holidays between late September and early May. One wheelchair can be used for transport over the sand, while the other is amphibious and can be used both over sand and in the water. Bookings are required at least two business days in advance. An accessible pathway extends along the foreshore on Bribie Island from Renton Lane to the Bribie Island Bridge, stopping at Bongaree Jetty.

The beach matting at Suttons Beach is near the rotunda, next to the sea wall. Starting at Hornibrook Pier is a sunny concrete pathway suitable for walkers, wheelchairs, pedestrians and bikes, which heads north towards Woody Point Jetty. Accessible parking bays and accessible toilet facilities are located at Hornibrook Pier, Pelican Park and Woody Point Jetty. Both Hornibrook Pier and Woody Point Jetty are wheelchair- and walker-friendly, with room to manoeuvre and enjoy the views from seated and standing positions.

Deception Bay Heritage Trail

With its waterfront views, choice of picnic spots, shaded rest areas and a visual historical trail, the accessible pathway along the Deception Bay Foreshore has something for everyone. Running from Boama Park up north towards the Old Fisheries Site, three kilometres of wheelchair-friendly paths, ramps and bridges takes you on a relaxing, outdoor adventure. The Deception Bay Heritage Trail is equipped with audio narration, tactile signs, historical photos and an interactive map. 

Parks and Playgrounds

Considerable effort has been made to make the region’s parks and playgrounds as accessible as possible.

Leslie Patrick Park’s award-winning all-abilities playground is located at Olearia Street West, Arana Hills. Equipped with all-abilities playground equipment, including a Liberty swing for wheelchair users, accessible toilet facilities, continuous sealed pathways and a sensory garden, it has been lauded as one of the best places to play in Australia! Another all-abilities playground with a variety of accessible equipment, including cognitive play boards and sensory play equipment, can be found at Caboolture (PRON: ‘Ca-bool-ture’) Region Environmental Education Centre (otherwise known as CREEC (PRON: ‘creek’)), 150 Rowley Road, Burpengary (PRON: ‘bur-pen-gar-ee’). The Hills District All-Abilities Playground is located at Olearia (PRON: ‘oll-ee-ar-ee-a’) Street West, Arana Hills, and is equipped with accessible picnic, barbecue and toilet facilities, a passive interactive garden space, and wheelchair-accessible playground equipment including a five-way swing with capsule seats.

Pelican Park, overlooking Bramble Bay, is equipped with a Liberty swing, which is accessed using an MLAK (PRON: ‘em-lack’) key which can be collected from a Service Centre between 8:30 AM to 5 PM Monday to Friday if you don’t have one of your own. There are accessible toilet facilities and rubber playground matting.

Bluey Piva Park also has accessible toilet facilities, soft rubber playground matting and is the access point for the Woorim Beach accessible beach matting.

Changing Places Facilities

The City of Moreton Bay is proud to be the first local government in Australia to develop a Changing Places Network Plan. There are currently three adult change facilities within the region, at South Pine Sports Centre, Redcliffe Library and Albany Creek Aquatic and Leisure Centre, with future facilities planned for six more locations, including one at each of the two accessible beaches: Suttons Beach and Woorim Beach. These, and several of the unisex accessible toilets in the region, can only be accessed with an MLAK key. For further details please visit the council’s website: https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/Services/Disability-Access-and-Inclusion/MLAK-Public-Facility-Access. 

Virtual Tours

The City of Moreton Bay is trialling a smart initiative that enables anybody to virtually travel through the region’s libraries, galleries, museums, community spaces and entertainment venues on their computer or smart device. This service can be accessed via each venue’s webpage or through Google Maps. While this service can benefit all members of the community, it has been developed specifically for the needs of people with disability to enable users to decide whether a venue is accessible to their needs. We hope that knowing what to expect on arrival will boost confidence and reduce anxiety for visitors with physical disabilities as well as for visitors who are neurodivergent.

Accessible Guides

Visit Moreton Bay has created an informative, accessible guide to the region with information, photos and hyperlinks to individual attractions and facilities, which is sure to help planning and avoid surprises. Find it on the Visit Moreton Bay website at visitmoretonbayregion.com.au by searching for “accessibility”.

You can find comprehensive disability access and inclusion information on the City of Moreton Bay website at moretonbay.qld.gov.au by searching for “disability access and inclusion”. The council’s future plans are detailed in its Disability Action and Inclusion Plan.