Travelling with a wheelchair
Last Saturday we had the absolute pleasure of hosting a Superhero picnic as an early birthday celebration for BJ, with the aim of raising money for Bear Cottage (a children’s hospice). If you haven’t heard how we became connected to Bear Cottage I’ll catch you up. A couple of months ago one of our readers invited us to visit her at Bear Cottage, where she was
Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures is one of the many attractions in Cairns and surrounding areas which is often on visitor’s ‘must-see’ list. It’s wheelchair accessible and provides and an easy way to safely get up close to local wildlife. The crocodiles are the highlight for many but Hartley’s has a range of Australian animals and the educational presentations will ensure you leave with some cool facts and figures.
Outdoor winter festivals are fast becoming a winter school holiday family favourite so I’m thrilled to see councils improving access and inclusion. Last week we headed to the Parramatta Winterlight with the promise of an accessible ice rink.` As I’ve previously mentioned, AJ has been a long-time skater, taking weekly skate lessons and spending much of these school holidays at a local rink. BJ is always keen
As a first-time visitor to South Bank in Brisbane I was thrilled to ride the Wheel of Brisbane and have the opportunity to take in 360-degree views of the city. At almost 60 metres high it was one of the first landmarks I saw from my balcony when I checked into my room at Rydges at South Bank. After riding the Wheel of Brisbane at
There are many challenges when it comes to juggling the needs of a family when one child has additional needs or a disability. One I can relate to is the juggle of having one child in a wheelchair, who is unable to self-propel, and a little one in a pram. With a 7-year age difference between BJ and AJ I used to find this a
Vivid Festival 2017 kicked off last night and we were there to see what was on offer. We’ve been regulars at this event since its humble beginnings and the popularity of the event grows each year. The festival is running from 26 May until 17 June allowing plenty of evenings for visitors to explore the many precincts it now covers, including Chatswood, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Martin
As we ‘boarded’ Titanic The Exhibition we were each handed a boarding pass. There we found our passenger name, class of travel and occupation. These details are those of real passengers who sailed on the Titanic. Much chatter ensued with us comparing our names and occupations. AJ decided to swap with me because the passenger card I was given was a passenger with her name. Unwillingly I gave up
Sponsored We are entering a new phase. I’m seeing BJ’s friends looking to spread their wings and assert their independence by travelling without their parents. It’s a natural progression for most teens and those in their early twenties. Gosh, had BJ not needed so much support and assistance in his life he may well have travelled for a gap year or backpacked with mates around
Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) to see the Bella Plus Connect program in action. This is a program for people with a disability or access requirements with the motto, “Art is for everyone.” My visit coincided with the monthly community drop-in day. What I saw was a dynamic environment where people can be creative and social with
Imagine staying in an accessible resort where a phone interview is conducted prior to check-in to tailor your accommodation to your needs. A place where you have a choice of mattress, a ceiling hoist in your bedroom, height adjustable features, a range of accessible recreational equipment to try and educational opportunities. Not only that, these facilities are delivered in a stylish modern beachside resort. I’m
We’ve just been introduced to the Loop Lock and it’s something we won’t be travelling without it in future. The strange thing is, I’d have never thought to go out and buy one and yet it makes total sense for us. Sometimes when we travel we’ve been so keen for BJ to access experiences that we’ve taken risks. Ordinarily we are cautious with security but
In the early days of BJ’s diagnosis I didn’t want to have any of the items on the list below. I didn’t think we needed any extra allowances, but over time I’ve found that these can make life easier. Particularly when we are out and about for a day or when we are travelling it’s crazy not to do everything possible to make things as
The other day I was searching for something in our bookshelf and unearthed a treasure. It’s a book which was given to BJ as a memento from the Sony Foundation camp he attended while he was still in primary school. As I flicked through it memories came flooding back, as they do with these kinds of finds. You see, sending BJ to the camp took
Knowing that we’ve just been through the NDIS process (National Disability Insurance Scheme) a few of you have sent me messages asking if I have any tips for your upcoming meetings. We received BJ’s plan just before we went away and it was only the week before Christmas that it became clear what his plan will and won’t cover. Before I knew the details, I
With only a weekend in Melbourne, I had a long list of accessible places I wanted to check out including Alice’s Playspace, a Touched By Olivia accessible playground. I remember seeing the photos of the opening several years ago, and it looked like a fabulous dynamic playground with many features to inspire play for children with mobility restrictions. I was keen to see it in
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