Planning your next accessible adventure

Key points

• People with disability represent a huge group of travellers globally
• Planning your trip is essential to make sure you are well prepared
• If you require additional support or care while travelling, some things may be covered under NDIS

If you or the person you are travelling with live with a disability, then there may be a few extra things to think about before leaving.

Planning is always key to a good holiday and can ensure that your trip is as smooth as possible.

Planning a holiday

The first stage of planning is to figure out where you are going and how you plan on getting there.

You’ll want to decide whether you’re going to travel via plane, cruise, bus or car, and be aware of if these options are accessible to you or if you need to make special arrangements.

You then need to decide on the length of your trip. Things that can help you determine this are:

• how much you’re willing to spend;
• how much leave entitlement you have;
• where you want to go;
• what you want to see; and
• how long you think you can travel without access to your usual supports.

You will also want to look at the locations or landmarks you want to visit and whether they will be accessible to your needs. For example, if you use a mobility aid, some attractions may not have ramps or accessible options in place.

Depending on your situation, if you need a support worker to travel with you, you may want to discuss any budgets, payments and expectations with a support worker before you leave to ensure you are both on the same page about what you’re expecting while travelling.

For more information about travelling as a person living with disability, read our article: Tips for travelling with disability.

​Travel and the NDIS

Some additional support or care while travelling may be covered under your National Disability Insurance Scheme plan. This does not include things like flights, accommodation, food, or entertainment.

For example, the NDIS may be able to fund additional hours for a support worker so that they can still support you with your day-to-day needs on your travels. However, this only covers the extra hours needed and doesn’t include the cost of the support worker’s travel and accommodation.

Have a chat with your plan manager or Local Area Coordinator to find out if your plan can cover the support you need while travelling.

Bringing your medication

If you are bringing medication with you when travelling, then you will need to consider:

• if you have enough for your stay and any extras if there are emergencies, delays or cancellations;
• getting a letter from your doctor to say you need the medication in case you need to get more or provide evidence that it is yours;
• listing the proper names of your medication, not just the brand or trade names;
• keeping it in its original packaging with any prescription labels;
• checking any requirements for bringing in medications as each country will be different: for example, if you are returning to Australia, some drugs, like high-strength painkillers, are restricted, and you are required to declare them at the border to bring them into the country. You can check these requirements with the Embassy or High Commission of the country you are travelling to; and
• keeping your medication with you in your carry-on baggage, not in your checked luggage, so that it is easily accessible.

It’s important when travelling that your medication has documentation that clearly shows it is necessary and vital for you and your health — some places overseas can be very particular about medication.

​Accessible holiday ideas for Australia

Many of Australia’s attractions, including some national parks and beaches, are accessible, with others working towards accessibility so you don’t have to let your disability hold you back from visiting some of Australia’s most popular travel destinations.

Below we’ve listed some of the biggest accessible highlights in Australia:

• Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory has wheelchair-accessible tracks and accessible washrooms;
• Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park has wheelchair-friendly walks and trails including to the base of Uluru;
• the Great Barrier Reef can now be accessed by modified services: for example, there are tour operators who have adapted their vessels to be accessible for people with limited mobility including wheelchairs. Wharf facilities at Port Douglas are also accessible and include boarding ramps;
• attractions along the Great Ocean Road are accessible for people with disability: for example, the 12 Apostles can be viewed and experienced by following the fully wheelchair-accessible walking track;
• the Sydney Opera House schedules Auslan-interpreted, captioned, sensory and Autism-friendly talks, events and performances throughout the year;
• the Sydney Harbour Bridge walkway is accessible to wheelchair users with elevators installed at each end;
• Bondi Beach in New South Wales, Harvey Bay and Port Douglas in Queensland are some of the stunning coastal locations that are now wheelchair accessible.

These are only a few of the locations in Australia that you can visit that are accessible, many more accessible attractions around the country can be found in the below resources.

​Resources for planning your holiday

To help you start planning your accessible holiday in Australia, here are a few resources to get you started.

Resources to find accessible attractions and holiday spots include:

• Tourism Australia;
• Accessible Victoria;
• Sydney For All;
• Accessible travel in Queensland;
• Travellers Aid Australia;
• TripAdvisor; and
• TravAbility.

There is also the option of using a tour provider or travel agent that specialises in accessible and inclusive tours.

What tips do you have for planning a holiday? Tell us in the comments below.

Related content:

Tips for travelling with disability
Disability accessible travel and tourism
Planes, trains and automobiles – your transport options