Disabled Travelers Australia Series: Tasmania
Posted August 9th, 2010 in access guides, Accessible Travel, helpful information and Wheelchair Accessible Attractions
Gordon River, Tasmania
Photo by: Lisa Liew (Stock Exchange)
Howdy, mates! Today’s post marks the end of our Australian access guides, as we visit Tasmania.
Around the world, Tasmania is well known for the animal and cartoon “devil” that bears its name, but many people are unclear on just what Tasmania is, let alone whether it’s friendly to handicapped travelers.
Well, here’s the scoop: Tasmania is a land of about 26,000 square miles, located just 140 miles south of the southern state of Victoria. With nearly 40% of its land in protected status as a reserve or World Heritage Site, it’s known for its biodiversity and unique animals, many found nowhere else. The capital is Hobart; that’s where we’ll focus our quest for the best accessible attractions!
A Taste of Travel in Australia is a travelogue from eBility, which originally appeared in Accord Magazine, a publication of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia. Though a few years out of date, it provides a lot of starting points to seek out accessible cruises, attractions including some great casinos and aquariums, and several other useful handicapped resources. Speaking of cruises, who doesn’t enjoy one? The Spirit of Tasmania is a strong option for those needing mobility impaired access, including accessible cabins with fully adapted showers. Assistance dogs of any kind are also welcome. There’s also a Tasmania ‘logue available from Apparelyzed: Wheelchair Accessible Tasmania.
The Paraquad Association of Tasmania is a handicapped organization working to promote barrier-free accessibility for visitors and residents of Tasmania alike. They produce the Wheelie Good Guide to Tasmania, packed with nearly 100 pages of good stuff. Accessible hotels, restaurants, attractions, and services are abundant, not just for the Hobart area, but all around Tasmania, including Launceston, the Central Highlands, Huon Valley, and the Devil’s Playground. Nothing is left out, and you even get a handy, central guide to accessible public toilets and transportation options including car rental, bus services, and accessible taxis. There are many famous wineries throughout Tasmania, and the guide even includes extensive info on getting to these.
South of Hobart, the Huon Trail is some of the nicest and most diverse wilderness in Tasmania. As you’d expect, not all of the area is amenable to travel by chair, the site above can help you find areas that area. For more information on accessible parkland, a handy disabled access chart from Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service. You also might be interested in accessibility information from Forestry Tasmania. And for a top-quality general guide that not only covers all of Tasmania nicely, but also rambles through Australia’s other wonders region-by-region and city-by-city, do enjoy About Australia.
Wow … Disabled Travelers has, literally, spent more time in Australia than anywhere else. Now we’re just about done, but I’m going to take one more look around to make sure there’s nothing great that we missed. Pretty soon, we’ll be forging ahead to our next destination! Until then, keep it tuned to our Disabled Travelers blog, and adventure on! We’ll have something new for you real soon!
Si
