Since moving to Australia almost two years ago, American expat Lex B says she “learns something new every dang day”. And this past weekend was no exception.
Now living in Brisbane, Lex was visiting Noosa Beach when her husband pointed out the long matting on the sand right under their feet. The mum admitted to Yahoo News Australia that the first time she saw it, she didn’t give it much thought.
“Then my husband said, ‘You know what these mats are for, right?’ When he explained it to me, I was pleasantly surprised,” the former Houston resident said.
The specially designed beach mats are installed on the sand to provide easier access to the edge of the water, allowing wheelchair users and others living with a disability to participate in Australia’s favourite pastime.
They also come in handy for parents who are pushing kids in prams.
The response delighted Lex B, who praised the feature in a clip posted to her social media accounts.
“What a genius invention that promotes inclusivity and allows everyone to access the beach — as it should be!” the “impressed” expat told Yahoo.
“Of course it does. Of course Australians do that.”
Beach mats ‘entirely new’ for US expat
Lex said she’s never seen anything similar in the US, but she’s only been to a handful of beaches back home.
“So that’s not to say they don’t exist in the states. It was just something entirely new for me here,” she explained.
There are some beaches in the US with specialised mats for wheelchair users, and they are often referred to as Mobi-mats.
Lex, her husband and their son are enjoying exploring Australia. They’re not sure how long their work will keep them here, so they’re trying to soak up every moment before time runs out.
While Lex has previously spoken to Yahoo Lifestyle about her fascination with Aussie petrol stations and supermarket shopping trolleys, she said her favourite thing “above all is the ‘mateship’ and sense of community we feel living here”.
“Aussies have each other’s backs. It’s beautiful…oh, and the birds. All the beautiful birds. It’s insane. I marvel at them every single day!”
Beach matting is rolled on top of the sand to allow users a smoother surface to travel on. Source: Supplied
Beach accessibility costs roughly half of bus stop installation
Out of the nearly 12,000 beaches across the country, only about 150 of them offer some form of access for people with disabilities, the ABC reported in 2024.
At the time, Shane Hryhorec, Founder of Accessible Beaches, told Yahoo News that 500 additional beaches could easily be added to the list.
There’s certain infrastructure required to make beaches accessible, such as disabled parking, bathrooms and compliant ramps, as well as shade and drinking water — all of which the “majority” of beaches have already.
The addition of beach matting and beach wheelchairs simply maximises accessibility in these public areas.
Kitting out a beach to make it permanently accessible can cost as little as $30,000 and often less if the infrastructure is already in place, with a bus stop installation usually costing double this amount, Shane said.
He believes it’s “not an unsolvable problem” and more funding would revolutionise our beloved beaches.
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