2023 is the Year of Accessible Tourism in Queensland and three fishing charter operators based in Queensland are reeling in new customers thanks to their ingenious quest to open fishing to all anglers, regardless of their mental or physical abilities.
A wheelchair-designed charter cruise, a fishing operator with a purpose-built motorised rod, and a business that has developed a power chair with the ability to transform into a fishing chair within minutes, are just three businesses paving the way for everyone to experience a day on the water.
In Australia, travellers with a disability spend $3.3 billion on tourism, accounting for 17 per cent of all tourism expenditure. Equally, they account for 21 per cent of all day trips and spend 5 percent more than people without disabilities.
Speaking at the March 2023 the Destination Australia Conference, Dylan Alcott AO (Australian former wheelchair tennis player, former wheelchair basketball player, radio host and motivational speaker) said that one in five people in Australia identify as having a disability of some sort, leaving untapped customers for businesses yet to target the disabilities travel segment.
Here are three tour operators in Queensland tackling all-abilities fishing.
FISHABILITY – Bribie Island
Fishability assists children and adults requiring support to experience the joy of fishing with the assistance from trained and experienced volunteer guides and by using purpose-built motorised rods, reels and fishing rod holders. Driven by the motto:” We fish to forget”, Fishability organise shore, jetty and boat-based fishing activities and offer wheelchair accessible vessels for guided river, ocean and estuary fishing trips. They also offer advice on universally accessible fishing locations and facilities in the South East Queensland region.
Pacific Wind – Gold Coast
https://pacificwindcruises.com.au/
Based on the Gold Coast, Pacific Wind is Australia’s first wheelchair-designed charter cruise boat. It was launched when Michael Brown, the brainchild behind the venture and a quadriplegic and wheelchair bound angler, purchased the boat in 2006 from Seaworld Nara Resort Michael fitted the boat for wheelchair access and launched his business in 2017.
Being out on the water is thought to boost overall well-being and can be life-changing both mentally and emotionally. Pacific Wind offers a therapeutic haven for people with disabilities and wheelchair accessibility issues. It provides people who have experienced extreme trauma, with a holistic, yet arguably an unorthodox approach, to recovery.
Reel Keen Powerchair – Hervey Bay
https://reelkeen.com/
Robert Agius has created a world-wide product to assist fishing fanatics to hold a rod and be able to reel in the big fish, from a wheelchair.
The Reel Keen Powerchair rod holder, is a specialized piece of equipment designed after Robert found it difficult to fish following an accident more than 30 years ago. Driven by a burning desire to get back out on the water and fish, he developed a rod that can turn a powerchair into a game fishing chair in just minutes. Robert is now looking to purchase a purpose-built fishing vessel to take clients to his favourite local fishing spots and share his love of the game.
