Arthurs Seat State Park accessibility

Before visiting Arthurs Seat State Park, check the park page for the latest changes of conditions.

Seawinds Gardens

Parking

There are two parking areas at Seawinds Gardens. The first is next to the picnic area and main information board. The other is through a median adjacent to the toilet block. There are no accessible disabled parking spaces in either area. The car park is flat and the surface is gravel with stones averaging 13 millimeters. There is a range of picnic tables that are close to the car park that are easy to get to in a wheelchair.

 

Toilet Facilities

Seawinds Gardens is serviced by a single toilet block in the central car park which has older, standard designated male and female toilet amenities. There is one partially accessible toilet cubicle with railing in the each of the male and female toilets. The cubicles are approximately 50% larger than a standard cubicle but do not meet current accessibility standards. A short, compacted dirt path leads from the car park to the toilet block.

 

The cubicle entry is 70 centimeters wide. The door swings outward and is light to open. It is fitted with an internal rotating lock (1.1 meters high) with a wing handle that does not require finger dexterity to operate. There is room beside the toilet for a wheelchair and there is one side grab bar (85 centimeters tall). The toilet seat height is 45 centimeters high and the toilet flush is located on the rear wall and is a soft operating button that protrudes from the wall (1.2 meters high). The hand basin (85 centimeters) is located outside the cubicle and has clear space under it (20 centimeters) with no exposed hot water pipes and a twist type fluted handle (95 centimeters) that requires grip to operate.

 

Picnic Area

Next to the car park is the large, grassed picnic area that contains a single electric barbecue with a recessed push button to operate. The working height is 95 centimeters with a large flat concrete area around it. There are several tables. They are a wooden design with fixed side seating. The large double table has an end that allows a wheelchair user to roll under the table.

A second area between the car parks is a large flat grassed area with a ring of tables. These tables are set on extra large concrete slabs and have overhanging ends (50 centimeters) to allow wheelchair users to sit front facing at the table.

 

A playground is located close to the car parking area which is not wheelchair accessible however it does cater to children with other accessibility needs with tactile features and colorful equipment.

 

Bay Lookout

A highlight of a visit to Seawinds Gardens is the Bay Lookout with its spectacular views of the southern end of Port Phillip Bay to The Heads. The trail starts at the large information board which is accessible and surrounded by a flat paved area. The Bay Lookout Trail is 250 meters in length. It is wide and gently sloping with a maximum gradient of approximately 1 in 16 near the start of the trail. The surface is hard packed fine gravel.

The Bay Lookout is a large flat area. There is a fence with handrail height of 1.2 meters. The fence is filled with an open wire mesh giving views through as well as over it.

 

Just before reaching the Bay Lookout is the circular Rose Garden. Entry to the garden is flat and wide.

Rose Garden

 

Northern Lookout

When exiting the Bay Lookout, the path to your left takes you to the Northern Lookout. A path replaces the steps that used to lead from the Bay Lookout. The Northern Lookout is lower than the Bay Lookout. The path initially has a gradient of approximately 1 in 12 which eases to 1 in 20 from the remainder of the journey. The distance to the Northern Lookout is 160 meters.

 

William Rickett Sculpture Garden

The William Ricketts Sculpture Garden is along the exit path from the Northern Lookout. The path to the Sculptures is flat. Beyond the sculptures the paths leading back to the car park become steep and contain steps. The best option is to backtrack.

 

Summit Station

Parking

Next to the cafe in the main car park are two designated accessible parking spaces. The spaces are 3.6 metres wide with the one closest to the cafe having an additional loading zone. Curb cuts are provided on the traffic island.

The observation area is a large flat concrete area with a low 1-meter-high stone wall. Due to the lookout barrier being made from stone, visitors seated in low wheelchairs may have difficulty seeing over the wall. There is however a gap in the wall located under the gondolas cables where visitors seated in wheelchairs can see the views. The look out at the summit offers clear views of the bay.

The lookout connects to an accessible path that leads across the road to the main entrance of the universally designed Arthurs Seat Eagle Skylift.

 

Toilet Facilities

There is an accessible unisex toilet available at the toilet block on the picnic area side of the building. The door (80 centimeters wide) and opens inwards by pushing on the door. The interior handle is placed at 1 meter high and is fitted with a rotating internal lock with a wing type handle that can be operated without finger dexterity (positioned at 1.25 meters).

The handbasin stands at 80 centimeters tall with clear space under it (20 centimeters) and no exposed hot water pipes. It has a rotating tape (1 meter tall) with a four-point star handle. The tape action is light. The water used here is untreated.

The room is large with space beside the toilet for a wheelchair. The toilet seat height is 42 centimeters and there are side and rear grab bars (85 centimeters high). The flush button is located directly behind the toilet (1.2 meters high). There is a bin in the cubicle.

Paths leading from the picnic area below all contain steps.

 

Toilet facilities are also available within the Summit Eagle Skylift complex. There is ramp access to the building and accessible toilet, ambulant toilet and universal toilets available.

 

Picnic Facilities

The best picnic area for accessibility is located at the very southern end of the park. There is a gravel car park and while there are no designated disabled bays, side entry protection can be gained by parking between the trees.

There is level access from the car park to a large picnic pavilion with a flat concrete floor. Here, there are electric barbecues that are operated by a recessed push button and have a hotplate working height of 95 centimeters. The picnic tables in the pavilion all have a generous amount of space around them and have an overhang at each end of the table top of 37.5 centimeters. There are picnic tables outside the pavilion on concrete square pavement with overhang of 50 centimeters allowing for wheelchair access.

 

Base Station

Car park at Lower station of Arthurs Seat Eagle Skylift

There are designated accessible parking bays located at the Base station car park for standard size vehicles. There is also parking for buses.

 

Toilet Facilities

There is a large public amenities block located in the Arthurs Seat Eagle Skylift Base Station car park. This block includes separate male and female ambulant toilets, a unisex accessible toilet and a changing places facility. The changing places facility is locked and will require key access which can be retrieved from the Base Station reception desk.