About 20-35 surfers with varying disabilities and about 40 volunteers from across Victoria made their way to Warrnambool's main beach this sunny Saturday for the Disabled Surfers Association Great South Coast - run initiative.

IN OTHER NEWS

One of those participants was Bailey Harding who was all smiles when the team helped him onto a surf board and took him out on the water.

His support worker, Rod Hansen, said Bailey was thrilled.

"Bailey was very excited, very pumped up," he said.

"I didn't plan to come here, we normally find something to do like an activity - we usually go to the park or shopping or both.

"Today was a surprise because we came down, found out who they were, signed up and away we went."

Association president Luke Robertson said that's what the initiative was all about.

"It's all about the kids, it's their smiles, that's all it is," he said.

"But not only them, seeing the families happy as well.

"Last year, there was a guy in a wheelchair doing a Saturday stroll along the promenade with his carer and pulled up on the deck and indicated he wanted to have a go at some stage with it.

"So we got him into the water that day. He's a quadriplegic and we got him on the chair and had three or four surfs and it was a great way to finish off the event last year.

"We try and run about four boards when we've got a busy day, but then for the high-needs clients we'll try to keep them to the last part of the day so we can condense all the volunteers to support one or two boards."

Now in his fourth season, Mr Robertson said in previous years up to 65-70 volunteers had put their hands up to help out.

"We use social media to recruit - they range from people who work in the disability field to surfers to school kids," he said.

"My little fella was five or six when he started in the shallow water, but we have volunteers right through to the age of 80.

"We do have the occasional sport club and tri-club members too.

"We get volunteers from everywhere including in-land, not only from Warrnambool."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: