ATLAS joins State Government’s Plan for Our Parks by providing accessible equipment at the Abrolhos Islands

More people can visit the Abrolhos Islands now the pristine destination offers a range of disability-friendly infrastructure and equipment, enabling wheelchair users and those less mobile to access the island. The Houtman Abrolhos Islands National Park was established as part of the State Government’s Plan for Our Parks initiative to add five million hectares to the conservation estate in the next five years. New infrastructure was built at East Wallabi Island to support sustainable development of tourism and other industries at the islands, including boardwalks, shelters and other facilities. Geraldton not-for-profit organisation Access to Leisure and Sports (ATLAS) complemented the new infrastructure by designing and building a light plane passenger lift and hiring accessible equipment including a beach wheelchair, beach matting and a water scooter. Chris Kerr, who works as an operations manager for ATLAS, sampled the new facilities and equipment and said it was the culmination of a dream. Thanks to the disability-friendly infrastructure and equipment, she was able to snorkel at the Abrolhos for the first time. “I love to travel, and as someone with a disability travel is often very challenging, so it’s been a dream to have an environment that is off the beaten track a bit that people with disabilities can access,” she said. “It’s kind of like I’m jumping out of my skin because it’s just so good.” Ms Kerr said the island was now equipped with accessible boardwalks, toilet facilities and huts, as well as shade tables accessible for someone using a wheelchair to sit at. “We’ve seen two ospreys already today,” she said. “We’ve seen birds diving for fish. “We saw two big fish schooling mini fish to have a feed. We’ve just sat in the peace and the quiet and the beauty of this place and I think it’s got to be good for your soul. “It’s got to recharge your batteries, no matter who you are. “Now more people have the opportunity to just come and experience just half a day, a day out of the grind and sit in nature.” ATLAS CEO Zane D’Mello said from using the passenger lift at Geraldton Airport to testing the beach wheelchair and water scooter, the equipment had done what he hoped it would. “It took a little while to warm up. We had a water scooter there that she had not tried before,” he said. “Once we got the goggle and snorkel adjusted and she was comfortable with that, because that was also new, I think we’ve opened a box of chocolates there.” Department of Biodiversity, Conservations and Attractions Abrolhos senior operations officer Steve Moore said the Abrolhos Islands were a unique and beautiful place and now everyone could experience it. “To be able to offer that experience to people that might not otherwise be able to get there is really pleasing and great to be a part of,” he said.