Donate to the U-BEACH Project

Two women on the beach, one pushing the other in a wheelchair, with the 2025 CQUniCares logo.
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Whether it’s a swim in the ocean, a walk along the shoreline, or simply relaxing in the sun—everyone deserves to share in the joy of our beaches. Will you help us break down barriers to beach access?

The U-BEACH (Universal Beach Accessibility Hub) Project is a pioneering initiative led by CQUniversity to make Australia’s beaches accessible to everyone, regardless of mobility challenges. Since its inception in 2020, U-BEACH has been transforming beach experiences for people with disabilities, ensuring they can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of the sand and sea.

Through the provision of all-terrain beach wheelchairs, mobility mats, walking aids, and inclusive beach events, U-BEACH has already had a profound impact in several Queensland communities. The initiative promotes not just access, but belonging—bringing families, carers, and individuals together in a safe and empowering environment.

During the 2025 CQUniCares Appeal we are raising funds for the Mon Repos beach in Bundaberg, internationally renowned for its turtle hatching events. These magical natural moments attract thousands of visitors each year, but currently, many older people and people with disability face barriers to attending. With your support, we aim to install beach-access equipment at Mon Repos, allowing more people—regardless of ability—to witness this unforgettable experience and take part in one of Australia’s most iconic environmental encounters.

U-BEACH isn’t just a project—it’s a movement toward equity, community, and connection with nature. By donating, you’ll be helping to create lasting change for people facing mobility challenges.

Donate to the U-BEACH Project today.

An image of a beach is overlaid with a framed image of Sasha Job and Krystal Perger in a wheelchair, on an accessible beach pathway.

More About U-BEACH

Australia's beaches are a cornerstone of our lifestyle, yet for 45% of people with a disability, accessing these natural treasures remains a significant challenge. U-BEACH aims to change that by:

  • Providing Accessible Equipment: Introducing all-terrain walkers and floating wheelchairs, enabling users to safely navigate sand and surf. 
  • Hosting Community Events: Organising inclusive beach days that offer sand and water-based activities, fostering social inclusion and physical activity.
  • Advocating for Universal Design: Collaborating with local councils and organisations to implement permanent accessibility solutions.

U-BEACH's impact has been nationally recognised:

  • 2023 Australian Disability Service Awards: Awarded Best Community Program for outstanding contributions to beach accessibility. 
  • 2024 Universities Australia Shaping Australia Awards: Honored with the Community Champion Award for exceptional community impact. 

These accolades reflect the dedication and success of the U-BEACH team in enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities.

No matter the size, your donation to the CQUniCares Appeal, will help bring us closer to a world where everyone can enjoy the beach. Together, we can create waves of change!

More About Mon Repos Beach

Mon Repos beach in Bundaberg is home to the largest concentration of nesting marine turtles on the eastern Australian coast and has the most significant loggerhead turtle nesting population in the South Pacific. From November through to January, visitors to Mon Repos can witness these huge creatures heaving their way up the beach to find a safe spot to dig a nest and lay their eggs. Several weeks later (generally January to March), visitors can witness the tiny hatchling turtles emerging from their sandy nests to scurry down the beach towards the sea. To find out more about this incredible experience, you can visit the Bundaberg Region website.

By bringing the U-BEACH Project to Mon Repos, our team hopes that more older people and people with disability will be able to safely witness these magical egg laying and hatching events. 

Hear more about U-BEACH from Project Manager Sasha Job

By supporting the U-BEACH Project, you will help people living with a disability or mobility limitations to access and enjoy the beach. 

Transcript

Welcome to U-BEACH. Sun, sand and good vibes all around. This video was filmed at U-BEACH’S very first Beach Day at beautiful Bargara.

"So we know that in our region around one in five people have disability and fifty percent of those people have told us that they can’t access the beach. 

So today is all about showing that them with simple solutions we can access the beach and get people engaged in beach activities. 

So today we’ve rolled out the Mobi Beach Access Mat and we’ve got a range of different wheelchairs depending on people’s different support needs as well as their activity requests. 

So we’ve got some wheelchairs designed for the sand, some that float in the water. We’ve also got beach walkers, so anyone who’s ambulant but just needs a little bit more support , they can use those walkers. 

I think we’ve got four different styles of wheelchairs. So we’ve got one that’s a bit more minimalistic for support on the sand, one that’s got a lot more support, and a couple of different chairs designed to be in the water and float. They sort of act like a little bit of a boat in the water, and so people can then transfer of the chair easily and enjoy the waves as well.

And so people are welcome to get in touch with U-BEACH via Facebook and I can link them to who they need to speak to if it’s outside of those hours."

COMING TO A BEACH NEAR YOU SOON

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