Accessible matting on Mooloolaba Beach
- Noosa
- Caloundra
- Mooloolaba
- Maroochydore
From Caloundra to Noosa there’s so much beauty to be adored and explored here, and to make your stay as comfortable as it is calming, we’ve spoken to Sunny Coast local and access consultant and advocate for Spinal Life Australia, Dane Cross, to share his top wheelchair friendly accessible accomodation options across the region.
Take your pick from five-star luxury in the heart of Noosa to stylish stays in Mooloolaba where the beach is never more than a few minutes’ away.
We can almost hear the waves already.
Dane’s top accessible accomodation options on the Sunshine Coast:
Noosa
In Noosa, my pick is the Sofitel. It’s located in the heart of Noosa and the Sofitel offers a very large room with heaps of space to navigate a wheelchair combined with some great accessible features like a kitchenette with under bench clearance, a roll in shower and the fittings and fixtures of a truly accessible apartment.
Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort
With Hastings St on your doorstep and only a few minutes’ walk from the beach, it’s the perfect base to enjoy everything Noosa has to offer.
Maroochydore
I can recommend the Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort. It’s the kind of resort where you don’t need to go anywhere and do much to have fun. They have three accessible rooms and plenty of meandering pathways around a manmade lake with heaps of activities to do on the lake, including sailing and kayaking. I checked in with the resort recently and the watersport staff are willing to assist people into and out of the water as long as it is safe to do so for them, and that the participant is able and willing to be manually handled.
Novotel Twin Waters Sunshine Coast
What I love about the Novotel Sunshine Coast is you can land there and stay put. The kids have ample things to do, and there are bars and restaurants located on site.
Mooloolaba
The Newport apartments at Mooloolaba have two apartments that are fully accessible. If there was an award for a bathroom that’s both accessible and aesthetic it would be this one. This three-bedroom apartment comes with a very accessible and large bathroom, a Hi Lo king single bed, a hoist, light switches at an accessible height, lever style long handle tapware, easy open barn doors and ramp access to the balcony. I love being able to get out and enjoy the view. The other two bedrooms come with a king bed and two singles. Newport is a great accommodation choice in Mooloolaba not only for the accessible rooms but the location. You have SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast right next door, Mooloolaba Beach across the road which has beach matting and a beach wheelchair available at the surf club, and just down the road is Sunshine Coast Council’s newly built boardwalk at Mooloolaba which goes round the headland and gives some great vantage points.
Family on Mooloolaba Boardwalk
Caloundra
In Caloundra a popular accessible option is the BreakFree Grand Pacific. The accessible room here is three-bedroom and offers an ocean view from the balcony. The room has a fully accessible bathroom, roll in shower, and has also been equipped with a hoist for transferring including a selection of sling sizes, a Hi Lo bed, shower commode, wedge cushion, slide sheets and even an IV stand.
Other accommodation options
For more accessible accommodation options on the Sunshine Coast, you can head to Getaboutable.com, AccessibleAustralia.com.au or AccessibleAccommodation.com.
If you do opt for a hotel without equipment like hoists or shower commodes, Home Health Care at Nambour or Lakeside Mobility at Birtinya deliver equipment to your hotel prior to arrival and vice versa at the end of your stay. Hiring equipment is a great way to lighten your load while travelling.