Access Project Grant

The $5 million Accessible Tourism Elevate Fund supports the Queensland tourism industry to elevate the accessible tourism experience.

The Fund is an initiative under the Year of Accessible Tourism.

The Accessible Tourism Elevate Fund provided two grants – the Access Project Grant and the Access Starter Grant - to enable eligible applicants to apply for what they need, depending on where they are in their accessibility journey.

Applications for the Access Project Grant are now closed.

Successful applicants

The Access Project Grant provided between $50,000 and $250,000 (excluding GST) to 28 recipients, totalling close to $4.45 million. These projects will support the implementation of best practice accessibility, co-designed with people with disability and deliver tangible, high-impact accessibility improvements.

Organisation	Project description	Tourism region	Location
Airtrain Citylink Ltd	Implementation of platform gap fillers at the domestic and international station platforms for 20 doors and bathroom accessibility upgrades.	Brisbane	Brisbane
Australian Age of Dinosaurs Ltd	Electric wheelchair-accessible shuttle (buggy).	Outback Queensland	Winton
Bay Islands Water Sports	Adaptive equipment that supports on-water tourism experiences for diverse abilities, including aquatic/beach access wheelchairs, access matting, accessible paddling equipment and transport trailer, as well as an online website accessibility upgrade.	Brisbane	Cleveland
Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort	Aquatic lift with armrest and cover, adjustable king single accessible bed, mattress and guard rail, wheelchair-accessible resort buggy, and hearing loop and portable select hearing package.	Whitsundays	Airlie Beach
Bundaberg Tourism	Sensory audio guides to access travel information, dedicated digital Accessible Destination Guide for inclusive visitor planning, and a sensory-friendly inclusive event encompassing universal design principles aligned to an existing destination event.	Bundaberg	Bundaberg
Bundy Belle River Cruises	Purchase of a flat bottom vessel to enable Bundy Bell River Cruises to operate accessible river cruises along the Burnett River in Bundaberg from the accessible infrastructure at Riverside Parklands.	Bundaberg	Bundaberg
Capricorn Caves	Wheelchair accessibility upgrades to the 60 metre cave walk and kiosk toilets.	Capricorn	The Caves
Charlotte Plains	Installation of a shallow accessible artesian pool, development of audio guide and tour book, and purchase of accessible off-road buggy.	Outback Queensland	Cunnamulla
Cobbold Gorge Tours Pty Ltd	Wheelchair accessible modified coaster bus, all-terrain wheelchair, seat to fit to existing paddle boards, single wheel all-terrain patient transfer stretcher, an all-abilities accessible kayak launch pontoon, and portable ramps for varying levels in bistro and swimming pool areas.	North Queensland	Forsayth
Cooktown Museum	Installation of a lift, stair lift, and access footpath.	North Queensland	Cooktown
Daintree Discovery Centre	A 70 metre accessible canopy walkway, linking the Discovery Theatre to the Interpretive Centre looping over the Cassowary Circuit.	North Queensland	Cow Bay
Esk Caravan Park	Infrastructure upgrades to enhance accessible caravan and camping experience, including pool hoist, accessible BBQs and table seating and concreted pathways to connect accessible caravan and camping sites to park facilities.	Southern Queensland	Esk
Keppel Dive and Watersports	Purchase of a purpose-designed and built wheelchair-accessible vessel that can accommodate up to 2 wheelchair users, supported by adaptive equipment and technology including aquatic/beach access wheelchairs and access matting.	Capricorn	Great Keppel Island
Hamilton Island Enterprises Ltd	Construction of a co-designed access ramp into Hamilton Island Resort's main public pool.	Whitsundays	Hamilton Island
Hook-A-Barra	Access vehicles, hearing loops, and modifications to viewing tanks to make experiences possible for everyone.	North Queensland	Wonga Beach
Maleny Botanic Gardens and Bird World Pty Ltd	Implementation of new technologies across the existing fleet of 20 golf buggies to improve the experience of vision and hearing impaired guests with mobility difficulties. Includes 3D interactive screen, videos, mapping and guiding and a range of safety features.	Sunshine Coast	Maleny
O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat	Installation of a new accessible bathroom and a lift from the accommodation's ground level to level one.	Brisbane	Canungra
Qantas Founders Museum	An augmented reality/ virtual reality experience in two key attraction areas of the museum.	Outback Queensland	Longreach
Quilpie Shire Council	Accessibility improvements to visitor centre, including website accessibility upgrade, concrete pad for Night Show, access ramp to Rail Museum, accessible water cooler, upgrade of lighting system, and automatic hinges on accessible toilet doors.	Outback Queensland	Quilpie
Redland City Council	Upgrades and changes for access to the Redlands IndigiScapes Centre with modern and accessible design solutions.	Brisbane	Capalaba
Saltwater Eco Tours	Delivery of a new eco-tourism experience, a 1.5 hour guided canoe tour, including installation of adaptive paddling equipment, support infrastructure, safety equipment, staff training and website enhancements.	Sunshine Coast	Mooloolaba
Sea World	Accessible entrance ramp to enhance inclusivity and accessibility for visitors by providing a barrier-free pathway for individuals with mobility challenges.	Gold Coast	Main Beach
Southern Queensland Country Tourism Ltd	Development of an electronic and printable Accessible Visitor Guide for the Southern Queensland Country tourism region.	Southern Queensland	Toowoomba
Story Bridge Adventure Climb	An accessible bridge climb experience that can welcome individuals using wheelchairs, featuring custom-designed chairs and a mechanical winch system to facilitate ascent, along with a manual pulley system.	Brisbane	Brisbane
Strait Experience Pty Ltd	Acquisition of a Disability Commuter Vehicle and enhancement of its digital platform to support accessibility for people with disability.	North Queensland	Thursday Island
Tangatours	Purchase of a co-designed accessible glass bottom boat to expand the number of wheelchair users who can access the vessel.	Brisbane	Moreton Island
Noosa Ferry and Cruise Company Pty Ltd	Fully accessible and environmentally sustainable vessel for cruising the Noosa River. The vessel will accommodate up to 49 passengers, including 14 wheelchairs and include provisions for those who have low vision or low hearing.	Sunshine Coast	Tewantin
Traveller's Rest 1770	Upgrade to the nature-based campground and bush walk to include accessible amenities including pathways, seating and shade. A suite of interpretive and interactive wayfinding and informative signage to enhance the experience of people with all abilities.	Gladstone	Agnes Water

Read the Access Project Grant guidelines (PDF, 624.8KB) to learn more about the grant.

Key dates

Activity	Dates
Applications opened	October 2023
Applications closed	December 2023
Outcomes of applications advised	April 2024
Project completion date	By 30 June 2025

More information

To enquire about an existing application, contact tourismgrants@dtis.qld.gov.au.