I had high hopes for my overnight stay at Manly's Q Station boutique hotel in Sydney Harbour National Park. Just 30 minutes from the city, the hotel is housed in a collection of buildings that made up the former Quarantine Station. Carefully and sympathetically restored, the entire site is a delight for lovers of history but it does present a number of challenges for the wheelie traveller. Due to the heritage nature of the site, along with the need to protect the flora and fauna, private vehicles are generally not permitted. You must leave your car in the parking area...

As a wheelie traveller, the architecture and design of accommodation and public spaces is of particular interest to me. Poor architectural and design decisions can present challenges that often make travel uncomfortable, unpleasant and downright unenjoyable for wheelies. So I was delighted to learn that in the 2012 Queen's birthday honours list, Harry Sprintz, an Australian architect, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his “services to architecture, particularly in the field of disability access”. In addition, Harry was inducted into the Australian Design Hall of Fame by the Design Institute of Australia, also in recognition...

I recently attended a function in Batemans Bay and needed to stay overnight. After calling five places, none of which could adequately accommodate our group (me, my husband and two nine-year-old boys), I was put in touch with Eurobodalla Coast Tourism who thankfully managed to find something for me in nearby Batehaven. The Abel Tasman motel provided us with an accessible double room and an interconnecting twin room for the boys for just $150. To top it off, the owner was friendly, helpful and more than happy to hear my suggestions for some minor improvements to make things just that...

This month Vanessa Waller visits one of the South Coast's most prestigious restaurants, but inadequate wheelchair access leaves a bad taste... Living only an hour from Mollymook on the NSW South Coast I felt I couldn't justify an overnight stay Bannisters, which has won numerous awards for its deluxe and luxury accommodation. I did, however, feel fine about sampling the Rick Stein at Bannisters restaurant I had heard so much about. Bannisters began life in the 1970s as a seaside motel and has since undergone extensive upgrades and refurbishment. With the addition of Rick Stein's enthusiastic endorsement, it is now well...

AT's Vanessa Waller, aka The Wheelie Traveller tests out Sydney's new Academy of Sport and Recreation with some positive results! Our home away from home this Easter was the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation at Narrabeen. The Academy provides dormitory and motel-style accommodation for families, groups and individuals. As the name suggests, the purpose of staying at such a centre is to pursue sport and recreation in one form or another. In my case, I was there with members and carers from my local Sailability club to compete in the 2012 Macquarie Access Worlds sailing regatta at Sydney's Middle Harbour....

This month the Wheelie Traveller trials the Novotel Hotel in Manly.  Before I became a wheelie traveller, I expected certain things from a hotel. At the most basic level, I wanted my room to be clean, comfortable and easy to be in. If I was paying more, I would expect more. When I recently spent a night at the Novotel Manly Pacific at $339, I was expecting a little more than I got, particularly as the web site claimed that the hotel's accessible rooms “meet industry standards by providing the very best in amenities for people with disabilities”. The room...

AT's Wheelie Traveller spends a rainy weekend in Robertson, just inland from the NSW South Coast. As yet, camping in my wheelchair has eluded me but we have slowly been preparing for it so that we can share some time away with special friends and test out the new tent that our nine-year-old son Kai has been desperate to try. Camping with a wheelchair requires even more extra planning than a regular trip away so we set about finally getting our camp on. Our friends suggested Pretty Beach in Murramarang National Park as it's only about an hour and half...

A wheelchair is just one in a long list of things that can curb a person's spontaneity when it comes to travel (my husband may argue that my inherent desire to plan and control is another!). Either way, our travel partnership has always been a perfect combination of his adventurous enthusiasm and my detailed research. This continues to stand us in good stead now that I am no longer standing much at all: there is a lot of research required for even the smallest trip involving a wheelchair. Well, for me anyway; no doubt there are wheelies out there who...

Less is more when Vanessa Waller, aka The Wheelie Traveller, plans to host a reunion in Huskisson on the NSW South Coast, finding more wheelchair-friendly options at the affordable end of the spectrum. My husband Glen and I have long been toying with the idea of a trip away for a reunion with friends from school. This must in no way be confused with a school reunion! The aim is not to reconnect with people we haven't spoken to since we finished school but rather to spend some quality time with school friends we are still in close contact with. Conveniently,...

 AT's Wheelie Traveller samples the sights, delights and accessibility of Gunyah Restaurant at Paperbark Camp; a bush retreat near Jervis Bay, NSW.   When we were invited to celebrate a friend's birthday at the Gunyah Restaurant near Huskisson we eagerly accepted, not only because he is such a great friend, but because it has been on our restaurant 'to try' list for years.   The Gunyah (aboriginal for meeting place, or place of shelter) is part of Paperbark Camp, a bush retreat in the Jervis Bay area, between two and three hours drive from Sydney. I was hoping to arrive...

AT's Wheelie Traveller flies high at Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventure One of the things I really miss about reduced mobility is the freedom to wander at will through the glorious Australian landscape. I particularly miss bushwalks through deserted fire trails near my previous home in the Blue Mountains, so imagine my joy at discovering the Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventure which allowed me to 'walk' through a beautiful rainforest in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. Even more thrilling was the fact that this was no ordinary bushwalk; the trail itself is 500 metres long and has an average height...

 AT's Wheelie Traveller makes the most of a holiday at home on the NSW South Coast, taking advantage of her favourite local activities. My latest family travel plans all fell through due to various factors. The list of woes began with my father-in-law being on crutches after recent knee reconstruction surgery. My son then sprained his ankle on his new trampoline and needed his grandfather's shortened crutches to get around; Poppee had to switch to a pair of my old walking sticks. No-one was keen on a long drive, especially with that recent bout of incessant rain we had, so...

AT's Wheelie Traveller  ventures down the NSW South Coast to find the seaside town of Kiama is starting to wheel in the right direction... Kiama is a charming seaside town about 90 minutes drive south of Sydney. If you prefer to take the train, the station is wheelchair accessible and close to town. Either way, the journey to Kiama provides some spectacular scenery so be sure to bring you camera. With its stunning coastal position, numerous cafes and many shops for browsing, it has long been a favourite destination for holiday makers and day trippers alike and is definitely worth...

 AT's Wheelie Traveller explains why getting amongst nature can be a challenge for people in wheelchairs. When friends invited us to spend a week with them at Murramarang Beachfront Nature Resort we gladly accepted. Situated in Murramarang National Park about three and half hours south of Sydney, the Resort's advertising made it look like a natural paradise with a few essential creature comforts, such as a playground, pool, restaurant and cocktail bar thrown in. And let's face it, holidaying with a big group of friends is always great fun, especially for the kids, however there were certainly a few challenges...

 AT's Wheelie Traveller enjoys a wheelchair-friendly stay in Sydney Until recently, booking wheelchair-friendly accommodation online was almost impossible but more and more providers are including wheelie options on their web sites; I found this really helpful when booking my latest weekend in Sydney. My destination was Rydges World Square so I used the Rydges web site to join their rewards program and book a wheelchair-friendly room. Too easy! Even so, I did call to confirm the details as I have so often experienced problems in the past. I was assured that my room was reserved and the school holiday special,...

 AT blogger, the Wheelie Traveller, struggles to find wheelchair-friendly accommodation in Albury Wodonga. At first glance, my brief seemed simple: find accommodation for our sailing team for a regatta in Albury/Wodonga. We needed two wheelchair-friendly rooms and a suite or similar to accommodate the three able team members. My task was easier said than done! I started with the list of accommodation provided by the regatta organisers. The first place I tried was partly wheelchair-accessible: according to the owner, this meant that you could get a wheelchair into the cabin, just not into the bathroom. I gave that a miss,...

AT's wheelie traveller, Vanessa Waller, points out a few common mistakes the tourism industry makes when it builds wheelchair-accessible accommodation.  Many people in the tourism industry seem to think that a wide door and a ramp are all that is required to make a property wheelchair-friendly. How wrong they are! It is certainly not a deliberate oversight: most people working in hospitality genuinely want to be hospitable but are simply ignorant of the needs of their clientele in wheelchairs. Some of the biggest "wheelchair nasties" I've encountered stem from poor communication and a lack of information.   Anyone who travels...

AT’s wheelie traveller Vanessa Waller learns to sail with Sailability, a non-profit organisation that aims to get everyone from the aged to the immobile out on the water Freedom and independence are two attributes that attract most of us to travel and also to particular modes of transport. Planes, trains and automobiles all have their benefits and let's be honest, when it comes right down to it, we can simply get around using our own two feet, right?    Wrong! For us wheelies, travel is not that simple. Whether you are dealing with disability acquired through an accident or progressive...

Travelling 'wheelie' Vanessa Waller checks out Batemans Bay Beach Resort. How does it stack up as an accessible stay? Caravan parks and wheelchairs do not always combine well, but thankfully more and more providers are improving their accessible accommodation options. Batemans Bay Beach Resort on the NSW south coast is setting a good standard for travelling 'wheelies'. Life in a wheelchair can be challenging at the best of times so the last thing you want on holiday is to battle with your accommodation. A recent stay in Batemans Bay Beach Resort's Easy Access cabin was refreshingly free of hassles for me...