Archive for category: Destinations

Smiths beach is accessed from Back Beach Road. It provides the only accessible ocean beach access on Phillip Island. The carpark has 2 designated accessible parking bays adjacent to the path leading to the boardwalk.

An accessible toilet is located at the carpark. It has side and rear handrails There is an accessible water fountain located in the carpark.

Access to the beach is gained via a zig zagging wooden ramp. The ramp has a concrete base that accesses the hard sand. A newly built observation pavilion is situated halfway down the ramp and provides an excellent sheltered viewing position for those not wanting to venture onto the beach itself. It provides shade and weather protection.

Purple Hen is a small winery located on the Rhyll – Newhaven Rd. It has a designated disabled parking spot adjacent to the path to the winery cellar door and small cafe. The path is fine hard packed gravel and is gently sloping. Entry to the cellar door is through a wide sliding door. The door is manual but the opening effort is light. The tasting cafe area is open and spacious. Tables have movable seating. There is an accessible toilet available in a large room. The toilet has side and rear handrails and the basin has a single lever mixer tap. Straws are available for wine tasting for those with limited hand and finger dexterity. The outdoor picnic tables have an extended overhang at both ends making them suitable for wheelchair users.

The Phillip Island RSL is located in Thompson Avenue Cowes.

Accessible parking is available at the front and side of the building. Access to the club is through double width self-opening doors. Entry from the car park into the building is level.

The main dining space is the Lone Pine Bistro located to the left of the entry foyer. The room has a spacious layout suitable for all form of mobility devices and parents with prams. The furniture can be easily moved to cater for wheelchair users. The room is well lit. The bar and bistro service counter heights are low with generous space in front of them.

The Club also boasts a sports bar, the Kittyhawk Room. The room has ample maneuvering room and a mixture of high and low top tables.

The club has a large gaming room that is again well laid out with ample room for users of all forms of mobility devices.

There are two accessible toilets in the club, one located between the Kittyhawk room and the gaming room and the other behind the Lone Pine Bistro. Both have side and rear handrails and offset flush buttons.

The club offers patrons the use of wheelchairs and mobility frames for the duration of their stay. They are located behind the reception desk in the main foyer.

The Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit is located on Back Beach Road. It is the home of the Australian MotoGP.

Visitors Centre

The visitor’s centre can be reached by following the road from Gate 1. Two designated disabled parking bays are located next to the building entry on the left hand side.

Entry to the visitor’s centre is through self opening sliding doors. At the end of the entry passage is an accessible toilet on the left hand side with a side handrail. The hand basin has knee

clearance and is operated by a lever mixer tap. The room contains a baby change table.

Inside the vistor’s centre is a cafe, merchandising shop, the history of motorsport museum, simulated race game and the slot car circuit. The lower level of the cafe is accessible, however, the main level and servery is up a flight of stairs. The cafe offers table service. Access to the upper level can be gained via the garden if required.

The museum is well laid out and easy to navigate for those using mobility aids. The displays are visual with photographic displays depicting the history of the circuit.

The simulated race game is built on a low platform. The racing pods can be moved to facilitate transfers by people with a disability. The centre caters for those on the autism spectrum with quiet periods where the sounds of racing are turned down.

From the back of the visitor’s centre there is a path through the water garden that leads to the track viewing area. A wooden ramp leads from the building to a gravel path. The path from the building to the top of the hill is quite steep and would be difficult to navigate by slow walkers or those using manual mobility devices.

Go Karts

Access to the go kart track is from the front of the building. It is a gently sloping fine packed gravel path. A gravel ramp leads down to the building. An accessible toilet facility is located halfway down the access path.

Within the main building the doors are 750mm wide. There are two seat go karts available to cater for people with a disability. At this stage there are no go karts with hand controls.

Track Events

For track events the circuit provides a number of options for patron with a disability. There is a designated viewing area, (platform for major events) opposite the garages in pit lane. There is an accessible toilet facility provided adjacent to the viewing area.

There is a second viewing area on top of the pit garages with sections for people with a disability with glass observation windows. The roof gives a view of the entire circuit and paddock. The paddock is serviced with a cafe and an accessible toilet located at the side of the cafe. The roof observation area is serviced with an elevator at the southern end of the building. The garage building serves and a corporate event venue. The main corporate area is on the first floor which is serviced by the same elevator. The space is large and linked with an external wide veranda. There are no accessible toilets within the corporate space.