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Redbrow Garden Bed & Breakfast, Canberra

We try quite a few accessible accommodation options each year. Many work better than we expect. Some don’t.

We had searched long and hard for the right option in Canberra. Surprisingly, for a city with so many visitors and with so many accessible venues, good accessible accommodation is lacking. Most major hotels have a room or two available with suitable modifications. But we travel as a family, and what we really want is an apartment with a small kitchenette, and a maybe one or two bedrooms. Despite all the short-term apartment options in Canberra, I’ve yet to find one that is ideal.

With that dearth of options as a backdrop, we decided to try Redbrow Garden. Redbrow Garden is a B & B located on the outskirts of Canberra, between the suburb of Hall and the town of Murrumbateman. It only takes about 20 minutes to reach the centre of the city. Accommodation consists of four modern, individual en-suite rooms. There is also a three-bedroom garden guesthouse available. One of the on-suite rooms has wheelchair access and a modified bathroom.

The accessible room has a lovely outlook and is very pretty. The bathroom is also well designed. Bars are well located for both the toilet and shower. The floor is also well thought out — it’s an interesting concrete/pebble mix that is quite non-slip, even when wet.

Another interesting enhancement is that the shower is in fact two showers — one at either end of the wet area. It’s the first accessible shower I’ve seen that lets you shower with a friend!

A well-designed bathroom

However, there are also downsides. For me at least, the bed was much too high. At nearly 70cm, I simply could not get in. That made for an uncomfortable night sleeping in my chair.

Outside the room, there are some problems too. The car park is covered with large pebbles, which are attractive, but almost impassible in a wheelchair. When we tried to unload my chair became bogged in the pebbles and would not move. I had to transfer to my spare chair to get out of the bog. It was a difficult late night move, and I wouldn’t like to repeat it.

Additionally, the entry to the breakfast room is rather tricky, with a narrow sliding door and a sizeable door frame to navigate.

There’s no doubt Redbrow Garden is a lovely place. It’s a uniquely natural, small, family-owned rural retreat where the focus is on country hospitality. It is surrounded by a delightful rural garden. Canberra’s well known cool climate wineries and gourmet eateries are also very nearby.

Redbrow Garden

Hosts David and Elisabeth Judge should be congratulated for trying to make their facility useable by wheelchair users. Unfortunately, not everything works and wheelchair-users would be well-advised to consider their needs and perhaps make arrangements to inspect before making a booking.

travel — 3 Comments
10
Nov 10

Willowview Farmstay, near Marulan, NSW

We were looking for somewhere to stay within reach of Burrawang, and had a tough time finding anything. Links House, in Bowral, was an option, but it really wasn’t suitable for a young family. It looked lovely for a quiet weekend away. Eventually, we settled on Ferndale Cottage at Willowview Farmstay, just out of Brayton, on the border of the Southern Highlands and the Tablelands: 40 minutes from Bowral and 20 minutes from Goulburn.

Farmstays can work well for us. It’s a different environment, because we live in the city; the kids can explore and have some space around them; and they are usually incredibly quiet places.

Set on one hundred and thirty acres by the Wollondilly River, the late 19th century cottage Ferndale offers uninterrupted views of the property and escarpment beyond, as well as a whole host of activities.

Ferndale at Willowview

The access and disabled facilities are pretty good too. It’s not perfect, but owner Jan Scali has made a good effort to turn an historic farmhouse into an accessible facility.

The shower is especially well designed, with a very solid bench seat, plenty of space and well positioned rails. The rails for the toilet were, however, a bit limited and need some attention.

The house is nearly all accessible, though sometimes via circuitous routes. There is a large step going from the lounge to the hall leading to the veranda. You access the veranda by going out the front door and down the side of the house. There is also a step down into one bedroom and at one entrance to the bathroom. But these things are understandable in a building of its age, and the steps taken to work around them are largely successful.

The entrance to the house is simple and well designed. You park around the back and the entry is smooth, though slightly hilly.

The only lack of access that irritated me was the brick platform surrounding the stove. It meant I couldn’t get close enough to the stove to cook.

Another extra is that the farm is pet friendly. There is an enclosure with room enough for any dog to enjoy all the comforts of home.

We had prior arrangements which meant we couldn’t sample the range of activities on offer, but they include swimming in the river, fishing, horse riding, bushwalking and much more. It would have been nice to stay longer. We did have time to relax on the veranda and enjoy the magnificent view.

In all, Willowview is a welcome addition to the range of accessible properties and an example of how many holiday locations can be amde accessible with a little effort. While the access isn’t perfect, there has been an honest attempt to make it as accessible as the limitations of the property allow. Jan Scali should be applauded for her efforts.

Sydney events — No Comments
8
Nov 10

Wildfire Restaurant at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal

A recent farewell for a colleague and friend who is moving overseas gave me an opportunity to dine at Wildfire for the first time. Naturally, I jumped at the chance.

Opened in 2002 and situated in Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal, Wildfire takes advantage of the rich history of Sydney’s Rocks district. The view is truly stunning; I could have looked out on the Opera House and Harbour all night and not bothered with dinner. The only thing that detracts from this world famous view is the infamous ‘toaster’ (known formally as Opera Quays) sitting like an ill-formed lump to the right of the Opera House. When you stroll the very pleasant shops and eateries of Opera Quays you really don’t get a sense of just how ugly it is. Wildfire gives a perfect perspective to do that, and to see, like all architectural monstrosities, how badly it has aged in just 10 years.

You enter Wildfire from the rear, which is flat entry. There’s a curb ramp just to the left of the entry, so access from the street or parking spaces is simple. It’s also a simple, and very pleasant, wheel around from Circular Quay Station (also accessible) if you choose to come by train.

Inside Wildfire

The interior of Wildfire is quite stunning. The main dining room is large and luxurious, with high ceilings, adorned with chandeliers. As a large group, we were seated at a long table, and it was this table that first impressed me. It was high enough for me to get under in my powerchair. For once I didn’t need to eat dinner on my lap while seated a metre out from the table. While I’m sure this is just a happy coincidence rather than design, it’s no coincidence that there’s also plenty of circulation space. The place is built on a grand scale and that works for me.

The accessible bathroom is also well designed and very functional. Most importantly, it’s easy to get to, located just to the right of the main entry. There are few things more irritating in a restaurant than needing to ask multiple tables of diners to move to allow you to get your wheelchair through to visit the bathroom. Once there, the door opens inwards, the rails are positioned well, and there’s good circulation space. Everything is within reach and functional. My only gripe was that the door had one of those clever ‘butterfly’ locks that (for me at least) never work.

The menu is contemporary Australian, and consists mostly of grills, wood-fired meats and rotisseries. For this vegetarian, that was slightly confronting. Our host had (in advance) chosen a Brazilian-inspired ‘Churrasco’ menu featuring a selection of spit-roasted seafood and meats. However, the three of us in the group who were vegetarian were well catered for with an excellent Mushroom Risotto and several rounds of tasty vegetarian starters. Dessert was to die for, with very traditional European selections of chocolate mousse, tiramisu, crème brulee and more.

Wildfire presents a fine dining experience of culinary and service excellence, a wonderful wine list and acute attention to service detail – all packaged in a magnificent location and venue with great access. It’s a perfect choice for those times you want to show off the best of Sydney to your visitors.

International — No Comments
17
Aug 10

Accessible kitchen design

I’ve been preparing a piece on accessible kitchens and found a recent article from the US that I thought was worth posting in its own right. It’s from the Minneapolis – St. Paul Star Tribune and you can read it here. I know when I was designing our kitchen, decent, practical articles were tough to find.

travel — 4 Comments
9
Jul 10

Heritage Park, Lismore

Heritage Park

If you ever need to spend a half day in Lismore, I can recommend a park that is great for kids of all ages, has pleasant spots for adults to sit, eat and watch, and is perfectly accessible to boot. Heritage Park, on the corner of the Bruxner Highway and Molesworth St, is also right next door to the Lismore Visitor Centre. There are well maintained accessible toilets (MLAK) at the base of the Visitor Centre.

The playground has a great range of play equipment, including rides, slides and activities for all ages. There are separate sections for bigger kids and tiny tots. For kids of all ages (and from what I saw, quite a few adults!) there’s a wonderful miniature railway ($2 per ride). For the most active, there’s also a skate park.

For picnics, there are free barbecue facilities and a generous number of tables with bench seating.

Best of all, there’s abundant open green space with large trees — just what you need if you’re taking break from a long drive. It’s a location well worth noting if you need to meet friends or family in Lismore.

travel — No Comments
8
Jul 10

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Free-flight bird show

A visit to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, 8km north of Coolangatta, isn’t part of the regular ‘worlds’ circuit. But that doesn’t make it boring day out – far from it. With hundreds of native Australian animals on display in natural bushland and rainforest settings, Currumbin provides a rare opportunity to get up close to some amazing native wildlife. Upon arrival, we watched the excellent Free-flight bird show, where everything from pelicans to wedge-tailed eagles were on display.

Set within 27 hectares of lush eucalypt and rainforest, there are tens of kilometres of paths, trails and boardwalks. While these are all, in principle, accessible, unless you are in a power chair or scooter, or else in pretty good shape, some of the higher walks would be very challenging. They are very steep, and often unrelenting. In the power chair, however, I found them fun. The rewards are significant too. The boardwalk takes you through subtropical and tropical averies where the birds are quite beautiful. Note also that that many of these averies are ‘double gated’ – you need to close one gate before opening the second. I found coordinating this tricky in the chair and was appreciative of help.

There are a number of trails around the Green Challenge circuit marked ‘pedestrian access only’; these I found only passable with great care. For those sticking to the lower tracks, there’s still plenty to do and see. I’d especially recommend the kangaroo enclosure, just beyond the Green Challenge circuit.

There’s also a train that circumnavigates the sanctuary, and while it can carry a wheelchair, you need to be able to transfer into a seat.

Accessible toilets are dotted throughout the sanctuary (not MLAK) and are clean, useable and well maintained.

Green Challenge

If you (or more likely your kids) are looking for exhilaration the Green Challenge high ropes adventure course has giant flying foxes and a tarzan swing. The Green Challenge takes participants higher and further into this spectacular natural setting. Of great interest to parents waiting at the bottom, there’s excellent coffee at the base station cafe.

For smaller kids, the Wild Safari playground offers excellent options. There’s a flying fox, a series of tunnels, a spider’s web and various climbing equipment.

Overall, I think it’s well worth a day trip to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. It’s an interesting, active, educational, and accessible day out.

Observations / travel / Uncategorized — 1 Comment
3
Jul 10

Seaworld on Queensland’s Gold Coast

As we stood in the queue to enter Seaworld, it looked like a mobility equipment convention. There were wheelchairs, manual and electric, being driven by fit looking young men and others being pushed by friends and carers, as well as scooters and walking frames. My first thought, I’ll admit, was purely selfish. ‘Long queue for the accessible loos today…’ But I need not have worried. Seaworld caters well for wheelchair users. And there’s an accessible toilet around every corner.

There’s almost nowhere a wheelchair user can’t go in the entire park. Although all disabled parking spots where taken when we arrived, general parking is plentiful and close. On entry, we were given a hefty discount on the ticket price without any request for ID. There is ramped access to any elevated platform and reserved, designated front row seating at shows and performances. There’s plenty of room for turning and manoeuvring, even in tunnels and isles. In general, I found a good attention to detail in the access design. Bizarrely, I found two shops in the piazza with a step at the front. One was a gift shop and the other served food.

In principle, while I saw no rides specifically designed for wheelchair users, I guess there’s no reason why a wheelchair user couldn’t also go on most of the rides, assuming you had enough helpers to get you in or on the ride. Me, I chose to watch. I watched my kids go on rides, I watched the dolphin show (very impressive), I watched the fish from the underwater viewing tunnel (also excellent). There was plenty to keep me interested without scaring myself witless on a roller coaster.

My wife observed that power wheelchairs should be marketed as a tool for families for just such outings. At one point I was loaded with all the bags, three raincoats, spare jumpers as well as a child on my lap and a coffee in my tray holder. Try doing that with two arms!

Overall, Seaworld is a good, and very accessible, family day out.

Observations / travel — No Comments
30
Jun 10

Sampling the Best of Byron

I know, Byron Bay isn’t what it was. It’s now flashier, more expensive, less … Byron than it was 20 or 30 years ago. But change also has its benefits, especially in terms of improved access. Today, we spent the afternoon in Byron’s main street and out on the point – Cape Byron – and at every stage access was excellent. We had an excellent lunch at the Hare Krishner cafe just off the main drag, where you get kofta, dahl and rice for under $10. There’s a nice ramp to get in and the person behind the counter didn’t flinch at my written order. The outdoor tables where a good height and far apart enough to allow circulation.

From there we moved to Cape Byron to try to spot a few whales. As we drove to the cape, I was delighted to see a good path following the road for the entire distance. I assume it was built for cyclists but it would be ideal for a chair or scooter too. Once on the Cape, there are good paths running up to the lighthouse and down to an accessible toilet, built since the last time I was here, some years ago. There’s also a nice cafe – Cape Cafe – that I don’t recall being here last time. Sitting on Cape Byron, cappuccino in hand, watching five or six whales move slowly north, it’s hard to imagine much is wrong with the world.

Sydney events — No Comments
19
Jun 10

Australian Girls Choir Winter Showcase – The Hills Centre, Castle Hill

Looking from upstairs

The Australian Girls Choir is probably best known for their role in Qantas TV ads, singing ‘I Still Call Australia Home’ but the Winter Showcase Concert is one of two major performances the full choir does each year. It’s mostly a family affair, but easily of a quality outsiders could attend and enjoy. We always look forward to this show, not least because our daughter is a committed chorister and has been part of the choir for five years. This year was an exceptionally professional production once again, with a blend of choreographed performances of popular songs and more traditional pieces.

As a venue, The Hills Centre, in Carrington Rd, Castle Hill, is pretty good. There are only two disabled parking spaces, both in front of the main entrance. However, there is plenty of room to set down passengers on the main roundabout entrance. If you can, it’s a good idea to take advantage of this, because while there’s plenty of parking further away, you have to wheel on the road to get back – there’s no footpath and no shortcut.

Entry to the foyer is flat and very straightforward. The accessible toilet (only one) is to the left of the foyer and the lifts are immediately on your right. I’m not sure if wheelchair patrons are ever seated upstairs – on each occasion we’ve been we have sat on the floor level.

The wheelchair seating on ground level is good, with clear, unobstructed viewing and good sightlines. On this occasion we were offered the end of the 2nd row, but after the performance started, I moved to the 3rd row, which gave a slightly better angle.

The accessible toilet has solid rails but they are really too short to be much use. Perhaps they satisfy the Australian Standard but in my view they need to be longer for someone transferring alone. The basin is possible to wheel under (if you don’t mind bumping your knees) and the soap and dryer are within reach (though a bit of a stretch).There’s a sliding door but unfortunately, as I find with most sliding toilet doors, they soon go out of alignment and become impossible to lock, like this one. It appears that an electromagnetic lock had been installed but it didn’t work, at least not for me. The toilet doubles as a baby change room, meaning it can be in demand, especially at family shows.

In summary, The Hills Centre is a good place to see performances, but they really need to do some work on the accessible toilet and consider making all parking spaces at the front disabled only.

Sydney events — 1 Comment
13
Jun 10

Animal Kingdom at Palace Cinemas Norton Street

My wife and I went to see Animal Kingdom today at Palace Cinemas Norton Street in Leichhardt. Rather than reviewing the movie, which others have done far better than I can, I’ll review the access.

The front doors from Norton Street are manual and very heavy. They’d be possible to handle alone, but not easily. The lift, located immediately to the right of the entry doors, is small but the buttons are within easy reach, and thankfully you don’t need to turn around – you come in through the front and out through the back.

Tickets are sold in any of three locations – one just as you enter on street level, and two locations upstairs. If, as today, tickets are being sold at the bar, you can take the opportunity to grab a wonderful variety of treats and drinks – far better than the regulation choc-tops you see in larger cinemas. And a boon for me – I could smell no popcorn.

There are only two cinemas and both are a short wheel from the lift. You sit in the back row but the cinema is small so it’s not a problem. I actually prefer that to being right at the front and needing to crane your neck to see.

Apologies to those who take less interest in the intricacies of disabled toilets than me, but the toilets at Palace Norton Street are excellent. First, there’s a very welcome sign on the door. ‘These toilets are for the use of disabled patrons only’. So there’s no waiting in a queue while half the cinema use the loo. Moreover, they are very thoughtfully designed, with an inward opening door, wheel-under sink, low mirror, and everything where you can reach.

In summary, the access compares well to major multiplexes, with the shorter distances involved a major plus. And it’s far, far cooler.

It was funny, as we sat waiting for the feature to start, we watched an ad for a restaurant nearby. The final line in the ad was ‘great to enjoy with anyone’. Sorry, not me. I know where that place is and, like too much of Norton Street, there’s no access.

Almost forgot the movie. I’ll give a one word review – brilliant. Go see it.

Sydney events / Uncategorized — No Comments
13
Jun 10

The Rocks Fire Water, part of Vivid Sydney

On Saturday night, my daughter and I joined thousands of other Sydneysiders in The Rocks for Fire Water – a part of Vivid Sydney.

I love being in the City at night – especially when there’s an event on. I think the last time we were in was New Year’s Eve, so it’s not something we do every day.

This time, we took train to Circular Quay, which is a stress-free way to travel. Circular Quay is a good station, fairly compact and easy to get away from. Spoilt by my simple commute to work, we didn’t check the timetable, missed an Express train by 1 minute and had to settle for an all-stations service 20 minutes later. Still, it was a pleasant trundle. We opted for a taxi on the way home – just simpler, safer and easier with the time approaching 10pm.

We decided to check out the markets first. The markets seemed larger than I remembered, and several roads were closed. There’s an incredible feeling of freedom when they close roads for an event. Roads offer so much better access than footpaths. Think about it. They are smoother, better maintained, rarely dug up in private renovations and are unimpeded by tree roots. And why? Cars have great big wheels that don’t get stuck on uneven edges, they don’t trip over and have excellent suspension. Surely footpaths should be better than roads. I guess the difference is just a question of priorities.

Where the roads weren’t closed, access was only fair. The Rocks is an historic precinct so I assume the council is limited in making major modifications. But that doesn’t excuse footpaths you follow for 500 metres only to find there’s no gutter ramp at the end and you have to frustratingly turn back. Or gutter ramps encouraging you to cross the road, but without a corresponding ramp on the other side, meaning you have to wheel through traffic to find one. Or not putting ‘no parking’ signs near ramps, so they are parked out and you can’t access them. These things are not good enough.

Fire Water was quite spectacular. It was a beautiful night in the City – cold but clear and calm – and the Opera House was brilliantly lit up, giving us a full Sydney panorama.

All up, a good night out beside beautiful Sydney Harbour. Note to self: don’t wait 6 months before doing it again.

travel — No Comments
29
May 10

A review of Clark Bay Cottages – Narooma

This post appeared in a different version in the magazine Out & About With Kids – highly recommended. Visit www.outandaboutwithkids.com.au.

The advertising flyer for Clark Bay Cottages says ‘another day in paradise’ and that parallels my memory of Narooma; the town where I grew up, but then spent 20 years away. Those memories were long before having kids, long before our son, Daniel, was diagnosed with Autism, and long before I used a wheelchair. I was fascinated to see how it would work now.

Clark Bay Cottages

Family holidays can be a challenge for us, especially finding suitable accommodation. As well as needing wheelchair access, we need to satisfy Daniel’s sensory needs. He loves water, so we need a pool. He loves being in the bush, so we look for a bush setting. Above all, he needs space – to run, jump, yell … and just to be free and safe. Clark Bay Cottages are ideal. The pool is gorgeous, looking as it does over Wagonga Inlet; one of the prettiest stretches of water you’ll find. There’s also a mechanical hoist into the pool and spa. The entire place is ramped, allowing a wheelchair user to explore any part of the facilities, including the games room and tennis courts.

Clark Bay Pool

Clark Bay is set on 20 acres of partially-cleared temperate rainforest, so there are many places to bushwalk, explore and just be close to nature. It is incredibly quiet. Often, the only sound is bellbirds calling. We noticed how calm and relaxed Daniel was there and wondered how much the stress and noise of the city affects his behavior.

Narooma also claims to have the mildest climate in the country, and it’s a claim I believe.

The four cabins have been built on ‘universal design’ principles, which means they are completely wheelchair-friendly, including rails in the bathroom, wheel-under kitchen benches and one cabin has a hoist from bedroom to shower. There are many other thoughtful touches, including electromagnetic cooktops, fully adjustable kitchen benches, 1/4 turn batwing taps and electronically adjustable beds. Despite these excellent facilities, nothing about Clark Bay Cottages is unsuitable for families without special needs. For most families, it’s just a great place for a holiday.

The town of Narooma is also a surprise. It’s a hilly place, but the local council and businesses have done a great job of making nearly everything accessible including shops, cafes (including some very good coffee) and services. Every park we visited (there are several excellent playgrounds and picnic spots right by the water) had accessible toilets. A special treat is the boardwalk that has been built from the centre of town, north to Bar Beach; a distance of six kilometres. It’s all accessible and hugs the water the whole way. While undertaking this walk, our kids were fascinated to watch a huge Stingray feeding in the shallows.

Narooma is a little far from Sydney (5 hours drive) to receive weekend visitors. And that’s part of the beauty of the place. Life moves at a different pace there. Once you’ve arrived, reward yourself and stay a week.

Sydney events — No Comments
20
May 10

Million Paws Walk – Sydney Olympic Park

They call it the ‘friendliest event of the year’ and this is one case where the spin meets the substance.

Let me explain.

I walk our dog, Blossom, a 2 ½-year-old Golden Retriever, most days. She’s a good girl now, well past her rambunctious puppy stage, and unless she spots a cat sunning itself, is happy to trot along at a fair pace beside my powerchair. She rarely pulls, sits for road crossings, and joyously says hello to any dog we pass on the footpath (even the small yappy ones who look more like lunch than dogs). People often mistake her for an assistance dog, and she plays along.

The bane of any trip is when she stops to answer the call of nature. Remarkably, she manages to do this nearly every trip, no matter of the time of day or night, or when she has previously eaten. She seems to bottle it up all day. I’m a responsible dog owner, so I always carry bags and a pooper scooper, as I can’t reach the ground from my chair. But it’s a bit of a business, requiring dexterity, especially in a wind. And all the while I’m trying to coordinate bag and scooper, Bloss stands impatiently, whimpering as if she has no idea what has possessed me to stop and pick up this rubbish from the medium strip.

It’s funny, but no-one ever stops to offer to help with this task, even other dog walkers passing by. That’s fine; I don’t ask for help, but it is surprising. In the rest of my life, people offer help all the time. If I stop to adjust my feet on the footplate, someone appears and asks if I’m ok. Ditto if I get a text message and stop to answer it.

Which brings me back to the Million Paws Walk.

This year, as Bloss and I were travelling just in front of ANZ Stadium, en route to the starting point, she stopped and squatted. As I reached for my bags, a guy came out of nowhere and said ‘no problem mate, I’ve got it’. I thanked him profusely and we continued our journey. The friendliest event of the year had lived up to its slogan.

The Walk is held at Sydney Olympic Park, so as well as being dog heaven, it’s a wheelie paradise. Everything is accessible, there are accessible toilets everywhere, there are even places to stop and recharge. The Walk takes you from The Overflow, out through the Wetlands, and back past the Brickpit. It’s a pretty 4km walk, on a stable dirt surface, all with a gentle gradient, and easy in a chair or on a scooter.

Back at The Overflow, there are displays and dog washing, and lots for the kids to do. All up, it’s a great day out for the whole family, regardless of whether they have 2 or 4 legs, or wheels.

travel — 1 Comment
20
Apr 10

Paradise Afloat – Houseboating on the Hawkesbury River

When an old mate from university contacted me and said he wanted to get a group together for a boys’ fishing weekend on a houseboat on the Hawkesbury River, just north of Sydney, my immediate reaction was to politely say ‘no thanks’. When he further informed me that he’d found an accessible houseboat, I was alarmed. Most non-wheelies definition of accessible is very different to my needs. I asked him a few questions, and when his response was ‘don’t fret; you’re not heavy, you’re our brother’ I said ‘ok, I’m in’ and decided to figure out the practicalities later.

I need not have worried. Paradise Afloat Houseboats, based at Lower Portland in the upper reaches of the Hawkesbury, are the first operator to focus on the needs of wheelchair-users in a houseboating environment. Their two houseboats are specifically designed and built around the needs of people with disabilities. They offer:

Larger hallways and doorways
Spacious outdoor decking areas with safety rails
Wheelchair-friendly layout in bathrooms and bedrooms
Purpose-built accessibility to kitchen & dining facilities
Wheelchair-friendly helm & controls so you can be Captain of your own ship

Our trusty vessel

I found most of these facilities excellent. My only complaints were that the rails in the shower were insufficient, but as this was a boys’ weekend on the river, hygiene was not high on anyone’s priorities. If we’d stayed longer, I’d have needed help to use the shower. As well, the access to the kitchen is not great, with limited circulation space and high benches. But all things considered, they have done their boats extremely well. I was also impressed with the way Kellianne (one of our hosts) responded to my constant emailed questions, and sent photos and full answers, not just perfunctory replies. That matters.

Their entire establishment at Lower Portland is also wheelchair-friendly with access ramps to all areas, restroom facilities and the licensed Paradise Café & Pizzeria (which also serves excellent chili prawns).

The crew

So for two-and-a-half days we fished, played cards, told stories, relived Glory Days, relaxed and cruised the beautiful Hawkesbury. It’s too easy to forget how relaxed you can feel in the company of friends you’ve known most of your life. While the bounty from the sea was minimal, the bounty in terms of enjoyment was plentiful.

We’ll definitely do it again, next year and hopefully every year until we are old and grey (or is that older and greyer?).

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