Your guide to accessible Indigenous tours in Queensland

In Queensland we believe travel should be accessible to all and not restricted in any way to the one in five Australians (or in global terms, one sixth of the world’s population) who identify as living with a disability. Our Indigenous tours and experiences are no exception, throwing their doors to everyone to enjoy a cultural connection.

From Coolangatta to Cape York, you’ll find accessibility goes deeper than just ramps and tactile rubber floor grips, with experiences that cater - or can easily be adapted - to every kind of traveller. 

If you’re keen to explore Queensland’s cultural side, add this list of accessible Indigenous tours to yours. 

Janbal Gallery, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

There are plenty of ways to learn about Indigenous culture but taking an art class offers a hands-on history lesson. 

You’ll find Janbal Gallery nestled in leafy Mossman – arguably one of the best Indigenous art experiences near Cairns.

Meeting accessibility requirements is more than just a legislative tick here; artist and owner ‘Binna’ Swindley was born with a significant hearing disability. 

Accordingly, the gallery is accessible for those who are deaf or have hearing loss and accommodates people who have challenges with learning, communication, understanding and behaviour, along with those who use a wheelchair. 

Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Gold Coast

It’s long said there’s magic in the mountains, but you can hear why for yourself at the Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Burleigh Heads.

The Gold Coast’s only dedicated Aboriginal Cultural Centre is accessible, so you can easily tour the art gallery, gift store and information boards that share the history of the Yugambeh-speaking people.

Some of Jellurgal’s walking tours specifically the Ocean View Track can be adapted for accessibility requirements however as it takes you through a national park, there are some limitations such as a kissing gate (rotational gate) that may limit access.

Simply let the team know your accessibility requirements when booking so preparations can be made in advance.

Currumbin Wildife Sanctuary, Gold Coast

Want your kids to learn more about Aboriginal culture? Make your way to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, where Yugambeh Aboriginal Dancers from Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre share their music, dancing and stories in a daily show at 3pm. The kid-friendly show offers unique insight into the oldest culture on earth, and is a great way to end a truly diverse day out after spending the morning meeting plenty of native Aussie animals.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is committed to providing suitable access for guests, whatever their individual needs may be. This includes designated accessible parking spaces, wheelchair and pram-friendly paths throughout the sanctuary,  clear signage and wayfinding markers, enhanced accessibility at many animal encounters (including breakfast with the koalas), and discounted admission for those who enter in the capacity of carers and companions. 

Certified service dogs under the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dog Act 2009 are permitted on the premises.

Mossman Gorge Centre, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Everyone can become immersed in the spirit of the Wet Tropics Rainforest with a visit to the Mossman Gorge Centre.

This home of the local Kuku-Yalanji people is wheelchair and pram-friendly, built with accessibility front of mind from the moment you’re picked up by bus shuttle in the car park, to the ramps and graded pathways throughout the gorge-walk itself.

To help you understand why Mossman Gorge Centre has been heralded one of the best Indigenous experiences in Tropical North Queensland, this ‘how to guide’ to maximise your time.

BlackCard Cultural Tours, Brisbane

Explore Meeanjin (Brisbane City) with BlackCard Cultural Tours, a 100% Aboriginal-owned business, to see a different side of the CBD.

Their three CBD walks range from 90 minutes to three hours in duration, taking in cultural sites around Southank Parklands, Kurilpa Point and the CBD, each with their own area of focus – bush tucker, Aboriginal public art works and cultural heritage.

All use public walkways which are both wheelchair and pram friendly.

For more Indigenous tours and experiences in the state’s capital, read this guide.

Birrunga Gallery & Dining, Brisbane

If you thought Brisbane’s CBD was all highstreet stores and office buildings, you haven’t been to Birrunga Gallery.

Tucked below Adelaide Street at basement level, you’ll find Brisbane’s only Indigenous-owned art gallery, which is also home to art classes, Indigenous artefacts and a licensed café championing bush flavours.

Birrunga Gallery & Dining caters for those with mobility impairments, wheelchairs and welcomes people who have challenges with learning, communication, understanding and behaviour. The onsite café also accommodates food intolerances and allergies, with the option of some exclusively plant-based meals.

Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

There are plenty of ways to see the Reef, but only one way to see it through an Indigenous lens – Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel - blending a day discovering two dive and snorkel sites on the Great Barrier Reef with unique insight into the region's history from a First Nations perspective.

The crew welcomes all guests with vision and/or hearing impairment and can provide assistance in getting onto the vessels/vehicles. All safety information is provided in printed text and in audio form, too. 

Dreamtime also welcomes guests with high support needs who travel with a carer, and all dietary requirements can be accommodated - just let the crew know in advance and they'll have delicious options on board for you. 

For those travelling with a wheelchair or pram, there’s a wide ramp to help get you from the wharf to the vessel with ease. However, on board there’s at least one set of stairs to navigate, so the assistance of a carer is recommended.

Given there are no accessible amenities (toilet or shower) onboard, this may not be the right boat for those who have greater mobility requirements – so it's best to call ahead and the Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel team will do their best to accommodate your accessibility requests or suggest another’s suitability.

Looking for a wheelchair accessible way to experience the Reef? Reach out to Quicksilver Cruises in Port Douglas or Aquascene Magnetic Island in the Townsville region. 

Gab Titui Cultural Centre, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

On Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, you'll find an accessible Indigenous experience like nothing you'll see on the mainland. 

The Gab Titui Cultural Centre is an epicentre of Torres Strait Islander culture with art gallery and cultural artefacts from sculptures to ornate headdresses. The open plan gallery space is wheelchair and pram accessible, with an ever-changing program of exhibitions in the main gallery.

Plan your Torres Strait Island itinerary to coincide with an exhibition opening to see dancers bring the stories from the artwork to life.

Hervey Bay Eco Marine Tours

There is a special way to discover the Fraser Coast and Great Sandy Strait through the eyes of the Butchulla people, and that's with Hervey Bay Eco Marine Tours.

From on board their wheelchair-accessible vessel, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the local islands, search for marine wildlife, and hear the stories of the Dreamtime from a local Indigenous guide.

With a maximum of 20 people onboard, you’re guaranteed an intimate, inclusive experience customised to your needs.

Although some tours have the option of snorkelling, their tour formats are flexible, so if you want to stay onboard and watch for wildlife through the vessel’s glass bottom, you can do so without getting wet.

Your host and crew will do everything possible to bring the experience to you (like the Welcome to Country for instance), with a track record of hosting groups with accessibility needs. 

Nurim Circuit Cultural Walks, Capricorn Region

When it comes to wheelchair-accessible tracks in Queensland, the Nurim Circuit in Mount Archer National Park outside of Rockhampton is one of the best for taking in the views. The elevated boardwalk wraps 500-metres around the escarpment for panoramas across the countryside to Fitzroy River and beyond. 

While there's plenty of interpretive signage throughout the walk that offers insight into the local Darumbal culture, sign up for the Nurim Circuit Cultural Walk and a First Nations guide will share stories passed down through the generations on this land - and teach you some tricks about native plants and bush tucker along the way. 

Dreamtime Cultural Centre, Capricorn Region

There’s a cultural connection to be found in the beef capital Rockhampton, at the Dreamtime Cultural Centre.

You’ll find it just outside the city, set on 12 hectares with landscaped gardens and a waterfall, and both guided and self-guided tours on offer. Take in the combination of two distinct cultures through the 34-metre display of recreated sandstone caves, the Torres Strait Islander’s Complex, and replica ceremonial sites of the Darambul people.

Making Indigenous culture accessible to all, the centre is proudly wheelchair friendly. 

If you find yourself in Rocky, top and tail the Dreamtime Cultural Centre with these things to do.

Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience at Rainforestation, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Set within Rainforestation Nature Park, share in the stories of the oldest surviving culture in the world at the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience.

Earning top gong in the 2019 Queensland Tourism Awards for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Tourism, Rainforestation is proudly accessible, so there are no barriers to discovering Indigenous culture here.

The iconic World War army ducks, which are the best way to tour the property, are also wheelchair accessible.

Looking for more accessible holiday ideas in Queensland?

• Check out this accessible travel guide to Cairns
• Read more about the accessible Gold Coast
• Discover these accessible national park walks