Access for all: Eight Queensland experiences for low-hearing and deaf travellers

Queensland Performing Arts Centre

Across Australia, one in six are affected by hearing loss, with approximately 30,000 Deaf Auslan users living with total hearing loss[1]. Meanwhile, due to an ageing population, it’s estimated that by 2050 one in every four Australians will experience some hearing loss in their lives[2]. But those who are hard of hearing do not have to miss out on enriching travel experiences, with Queensland rolling out the welcome mat for everyone to make memories in the Sunshine State. From world-class art galleries to outstanding theatre productions, ancient rainforests and wildlife encounters, these eight Queensland experiences will get all the senses firing.

1) World-class performances in the heart of Brisbane

Brisbane’s exciting calendar of theatre, cultural exhibitions and performing arts is accessible through a range of hearing technologies and Auslan-interpreted shows. The Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) offers an assistive listening system (ALS) to send audio directly to headphones, hearing aids, or cochlear implants - with ListenTech available free of charge. Select performances are professionally signed by Auslan interpreters, with theatregoers encouraged to download the GoTheatrical app to access live captions on mobile or tablet devices.

2) Further down the river, Brisbane Powerhouse 

offers a range of select Auslan performances throughout the year, as well as hearing loops for everyone to enjoy the year-round festivities.

3) Wander through the rainforest in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

As the world’s oldest continually surviving rainforest, the Daintree Rainforest in the Wet Tropics is home to an impressively diverse environment and thousands of distinctive wildlife species that need to be experienced to be believed. The Daintree Discovery Centre is a great place to do just this. Spark curiosity in this ancient landscape at the Interpretive Display Centre, featuring interactive touch-screen kiosks help set bearings, before setting off on a self-guided tour. Guides are fitted with a T switch suitable for hearing aids. Ascend the Aerial Walkway to take in canopy views, complete with interpretive guidebooks highlighting not to miss points of interest.

4) Be inspired by art in South East Queensland

Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art

In the state’s capital, QAGOMA’s (Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art) award-winning accessibility program offers customised programs for low-hearing and deaf art lovers. Free volunteer guided tours for members of the Deaf community are scheduled on the last Sunday of the month from January to November, with a NAATI accredited Auslan interpreter accompanying the gallery guide. Visitors with cochlear implants, hearing aids or hearing loss are invited to join a small group tour led by a volunteer guide on the fourth Friday of the month between January and November, with assistive listening devices (FM system) available. Visitors can also enjoy rare film viewings at the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art’s Australian Cinémathèque, with a hearing loop system to support those with hearing aids and implants.

5) On the Gold Coast, HOTA 

(which stands for Home of the Arts) is committed to bringing art to the hearts of all, with Auslan assistive listening carrier devices and Auslan-interpreted programs, including tours with the HOTA Gallery Artist Educator, regularly scheduled.

6) Say hello to a wild world of wildlife on the Gold Coast

Twenty-seven hectares of rainforest and animal encounters await at the Gold Coast’s iconic Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Meet native animals, tour the animal hospital, and catch the Wild Skies Free Flight Bird Show which has hearing augmentation via an assisted listening service, amplifying sound through headphones (hired from Visitor and Member Services).

7) Festival fun on the Sunshine Coast

Horizon Festival

Art and culture shines on the Sunshine Coast during the annual Horizon Festival. This ten-day multi-arts festival celebrates music, arts, theatre, dance and more, from the beach to the hinterland and the townships in between. Bringing art experiences to those with low-hearing or deafness, some performances feature Auslan interpreted shows on select dates, while the festival also offers an interpreting service, meaning eventgoers can request an Auslan interpreter for events, where possible. Visitors who would like an Auslan interpreter and seating with clear sightlines to interpreters are asked to contact the festival organisers to book.

8) Discover the magic of the stars, planets and universe beyond

Located in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens at the base of iconic Mt Coot-tha, Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium skyrockets wonder in space and astronomy. Learn about the solar system and human space exploration in the Display Zone, which includes written and pictorial information, while glow-in-the-dark gloves are available for Auslan interpretation.

For more information on accessible Queensland holidays visit queensland.com/foreveryone.
[1] ‘Listen Hear! The economic impact and cost of hearing loss in Australia’ 2006, Access Economics
[2] ‘Listen Hear! The economic impact and cost of hearing loss in Australia’ 2006, Access Economics
To keep up with the latest tourism news from Queensland visit queensland.com.
For more information contact consumerpr@queensland.com.