Helpers sought to maintain Hawks Nest beach mobility mats Myall Coast Myall Coast - popup ad Myall Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - February 14, 2025 David Lau works tirelessly every morning to ensure the mats are usable. MATS that allow people with mobility issues to access Bennetts Beach are at risk of being removed, as the Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Surf Life Saving Club (TGHN SLSC) struggles to keep them usable. The SLSC’s liability for the mats means they may have to remove the beach access if no help is found to keep them clear. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au TGHN SLSC volunteer David Lau has swept and re-laid the mats every morning for months, his work often being the only difference between people with limited mobility being able to access the beach, and the main walkway being closed to all. “We need to develop a short list of able-bodied individuals, eight or nine of them, who are available during the week, and can handle the physical work of lifting and restabilising the mats,” David told NOTA. “Otherwise, the long-term issue is that we may not be able to maintain the mats, or will have to cordon off the (main) walkway down to the beach if it is deemed unsafe and not fixed up.” The Mobi Mats, first installed last March, have proven popular with residents and visitors alike. “The mats have proven very popular and necessary for accessibility, and TGHN SLSC is keen to keep them,” David said. “We’ve done our best for a year, but the future of the mats is in question. “The number of people who say these mats make the difference between them coming to the beach at all, and making it down here regularly – it is a community health and safety concern that they stay in play.” The volunteer work required would suit someone with no difficulty lifting and shovelling/sweeping. By Thomas O’KEEFE One of the many mobility mat users thanks David while he sweeps away sand blown over the mat overnight.
