Making memories at... Sargood on Collaroy

A world of family fun opened up for Ben, his wife and five children when they stayed at Sargood on Collaroy.

At 25 years old, Ben took a dive off a jetty into shallow water. When his head hit the sand, he broke his neck and C5 vertebrae with the accident resulting in his quadriplegia. Today, Ben lives in Wagga Wagga with his wife and children ranging from ages 2-11 years old. Finding accessible accommodation and an available carer has always been a difficult task, which has made holidaying together daunting. It wasn’t until he heard about Sargood on Collaroy through his NDIS coordinator, that he realised the family could holiday with ease. Ben’s entire family joined him for his first visit where, with the support of Sargood’s trained staff, they enjoyed fishing, snorkelling, playing virtual reality games and visiting local markets as a family.

“Having the chance to do the things that my kids love, such as fishing and snorkelling, was a really amazing experience for us to share together.”

Ben was thankful for the opportunity to do these activities with his kids. They had such a great visit that returning to Sargood on Collaroy is now an annual tradition. “I love being able to do activities with my kids at Sargood that I am not able to do on my own. It is fantastic that the staff help set everything up for us. They are so helpful and motivated that it gives guests an amazing feeling knowing they can relax.”

I am able to stay at Sargood on Collaroy because it is NDIS funded. If I were to go for a holiday, even if my accommodation was wheelchair-friendly, I’d still have to organise a carer. At Sargood, it’s all included as part of your stay — you don’t have to worry about anything. That’s the major difference for me.”

Below: Ben and his son at Sargood on Collaroy.