Hey, everyone!
Last week, I traveled from the United States to Australia to prepare for the first-ever Wheelchair Travel Group Trip in Australia (which is now underway!). I have had the pleasure of welcoming a fantastic group of travelers who hail from across the USA, and we are enjoying the warm summer weather Down Under.
Prior to my travelers' arrival, I spent some time in Brisbane, where I had the opportunity to test a first-of-its-kind accessible attraction — an experience that landed me on the local news in Queensland! More on that in a bit, but first, some Sydney drama.
Man Overboard on a Scenic Harbour Cruise
The itinerary for the Wheelchair Accessible Group Trip to Sydney is filled with exceptional experiences, from a private tour of the iconic Sydney Opera House to a stroll along the scenic walkway in a Blue Mountains rainforest.
Yesterday, I took the group on a sunset dinner cruise, which departed Sydney's Darling Harbour and took us to Circular Quay and sights like the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Royal Botanic Garden.
During our journey, in an unexpected moment, the Captain announced that a passenger had gone overboard. The members of my group were all accounted for — enjoying a three-course dinner at our table next to the ship's large sightseeing windows. We later learned that the passenger in question was a teenager, who appeared to have jumped intentionally from the ship's aft deck to impress his friends (they were gathered for a birthday celebration).
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Wheelchair Accessible Bridge Climb in Brisbane
I recently met John Sharpe, an Australian visionary and adventure experience designer who hopes to make Brisbane the world's top accessible urban adventure destination before the city hosts the 2032 Olympic Games. Sharpe has been involved in a long list of innovative projects — I got to try two of his latest accessible adventures during my time in Brisbane last week.
Story Bridge, the longest steel cantilever bridge in Australia, crosses the Brisbane River and connects downtown with the Kangaroo Point neighborhood. Constructed in 1935, it is an iconic fixture in the Brisbane skyline.
For the past 20 years, Story Bridge Adventure Climb has welcomed nondisabled adventure-seekers on thrilling climbs to the top of the bridge. Recently, John Sharpe worked with the organization to make that climb accessible. He and a variety of partners developed an accessible route using a specially-designed motorized stair climber wheelchair. The Story Bridge Adventure Climb is now the world's first and only wheelchair accessible bridge climb, and I was excited to try it out.
Accompanying me on my climb was a crew from 7 News Brisbane, who documented my journey to the top of Story Bridge. Watch their report on this incredible attraction here:
The experience of being interviewed by a television news crew while seated on the top of an Australian bridge in a wheelchair was surreal — how could I have ever imagined such an experience to be possible? Much of what I told the reporter was cut (that's typical of news interviews), but you can see more of my experience in this Instagram reel:
What excites me most is not my own experience, but the fact that this attraction pushes a new boundary in the accessibility frontier. Why shouldn't bridge climbs be wheelchair accessible? And, now that Brisbane has shown it is possible, which destinations will follow? The Story Bridge Adventure Climb is open and accessible to the disability community, and I hope that travelers like you will experience it for yourself!
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Access Vertigo: Vertical Dining Over Sydney
John Sharpe's newest accessible adventure in Brisbane is Access Vertigo, an accessible dining experience that sees wheelchair users winched up to the top of the Powerhouse, a former 1920s power station turned entertainment venue.
Once I had been safely winched to the top, I enjoyed a drink and snacked from a charcuterie box while enjoying spectacular views of the Brisbane skyline. I chatted with John Sharpe, his Vertigo team, and other accessibility advocates while suspended in midair. It was a thrilling experience and, strangely enough, a bit more nerve-racking than my climb atop Story Bridge (though it was certainly no less safe!).
Whether you get winched up to Vertigo to experience a thrill or for sightseeing, a date or a business meeting, you will find it to be a unique attraction that is in fact extraordinary. And, if you dare, it is possible to make it to the top of Story Bridge and Vertigo in one day — just be sure to apply sunscreen!
Looking ahead
The Wheelchair Travel Group Trip to Sydney is still going strong, and I will not return to the United States for another week. Once stateside, I look forward to sharing more from my trips to Brisbane and Sydney, including some reviews of hotels that I recommend and a look at my long-haul flights across the Pacific Ocean.
Since it has been a couple of weeks since my last email, I would like to share a few updates on my group trips for 2026:
- The September 2026 group trip to Switzerland has sold out. All of the 2026 tours announced thus far are fully booked. However,...
- You should expect the next group trip to go on sale in the next two to three weeks. Once some final details are finalized, I will preview the tour so you can mark your calendars for the on-sale date.
- The success of the group trip to Sydney has inspired me to offer another Australian tour next year. If you would be interested in traveling to Australia in 2027, please let me know by sending an email to grouptrips@wheelchairtravel.org. I would love to hear from you!
As I focus on making the most of my final week in Australia, please take a moment to think about what it means to Open Your World. Where do you want to go? What would you like to do? Let me know — I want to hear from you!
Talk to you soon,
— John
