Disability advocates have applauded the West Australian town of Bunbury for its efforts to become the most accessible regional city in the country despite it falling short of the title.
It comes on the eve of the 30th annual International Day of People with a Disability (December 3), which encourages increasing public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability.
Bunbury town planners envisaged the outcome in 2014, later adopting a thesis submitted by then-PhD candidate, Adam Johnson, which would act as the blueprint for the goal.
The broad plan was titled Most Accessible Regional City in Australia, more commonly referred to by its acronym of MARCIA.
City of Bunbury Mayor Jaysen Miguel said the MARCIA report ended in 2020 and city staff would review the report once the new Disability Access and Inclusion Plan was adopted.
Dr Johnson said the plan served as a yardstick for the city's efforts compared to other similar-sized regional areas.
"At the time, there were no measures for how we compared to places like Albany or Geelong," Dr Johnson said.
"But we started to ask ourselves, 'just what would it take to become the most accessible regional city in Australia?' and by going down that track, we would be forced to come up with some of those measures."
A co-design panel was established to consult on plans for future open space projects while local store owners were engaged and encouraged to either retrofit or consider accessibility features in new builds.
"Some cafes in Bunbury are now fantastically accessible and, while it cost the store owners money and floor space, there isn't a sense of wanting to put the steps back in or regain that floor space. Those store owners took a deliberate decision to make their businesses accessible," Dr Johnson said.
Mr Miguel said the city still had a co-design access panel, which played an important role in providing advice and insights into the design of city buildings, facilities, services and programs.
"It is comprised of people with lived experience of disability as well as industry professionals," he said.
"[The panel] has been involved in a number of key projects including access to Koombana Bay via the Koombana Bridge, new playgrounds, fishing platforms, Sykes Foreshore, the Boulters Heights Masterplan, Koolambidi Woola, the city's website redevelopment, and the Hay Park pavilion."
Benefits those who need it
Bunbury resident Mark Blowers is paralysed from the waist down after being diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder.
He recently competed in the London Marathon and is a regular at Bunbury's Koombana Bay foreshore, which is decked out with a host of accessibility features.
Mr Blowers said, prior to the MARCIA initiative, his access to the water would have been limited to a viewing platform 20 metres from the shore.
"Now we have the beach mat that goes down to the sand and tracks that go right to the water's edge," he said.
"It gives you that freedom of choice to go to the edge of the water, which is just what you do in Bunbury."
Mr Blowers cited improved footpath amenities, dependable accessible taxi service, and "small but significant" changes to buildings and shops throughout the city, which were a result of the efforts by the city.
Mr Miguel said the city's aspiration to be the most accessible regional city in Australia had happened over several years and funding mainly came from the local government's budget.
"The Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2017–2022 was allocated $500,000 over five years, which included MARCIA and went towards key infrastructure upgrades such as the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery entry and ablution upgrades as well as the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre," he said.
And while Bunbury has yet to assume the title of Most Accessible Regional City in Australia or win a recently convened competition of the Most Accessible Community in Western Australia, Mr Blowers said its efforts had not gone unnoticed by the community.
"I believe the city will get its name on the trophy one day and it will be really satisfying for everyone who has been involved," he said.
"Of course, it is ultimately for the benefit of the people who need it, be they locals or tourists. They can visit Bunbury and get to places, see everything they want to do, and participate in it fully and not just from the sidelines."
The ABC is partnering with International Day of People with Disability to celebrate the contributions and achievements of the 4.4 million Australians with disability.
