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by
Diarmuid Corry ©2001-2002
The following notes are based on a visit to Australia in December 2001/January 2002. If you have any questions I can be contacted through this web-site. For background, I am a T4 paraplegic who uses a manual wheelchair. My chair is quite compact and narrow (64cm/25.2” wide) to help me get around Dublin, my city of residence! Bear this in mind when I talk about “tight” access below – your chair may be wider. I travelled with various people throughout the trip – never on my own. I try to mention my personal access experiences for the places I have been. Australia is big, and in any short visit only a fraction of its attractions can be touched. In case you have a particular interest, the following areas are touched on in this account: Sydney Opera House and Circular Quay, North Central Coast area, Melbourne, Great Ocean Road, Dubbo, Brisbane & Lamington National Park, and the wine regions of Hunter Valley, Mudgee, and Coonawarra. When I say touched, I mean just
that. I can only relate what I experienced, so don’t expect a deep and
detailed tourist guide! RESOURCES There is a reasonable amount of information for wheelies planning on visiting Australia. This site has a few. There are a few specialist books also. I used Easy Access Australia by Bruce Cameron (http://www.easyaccessaustralia.com.au/). This is a good book which gives very precise information about access and accommodation as well as details on prime tourist interest sites. It is not complete, but then Australia is a big place! Recommended. Another resource for accommodation is “The Wheelies Handbook of Australia” by Colin James (http://home.vicnet.net.au/~wheelies). Colin uses a power wheelchair so he requires the accommodation to strictly adhere to international standards. I found his book harder to use, but it is definitely a must for power chair users. I also brought both the
Rough
Guide to Australia (http://www.roughguides.com/)
and the Lonely Planet Guide to Australia (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/).
Both are excellent and you really need to have one or the other. Which
one is a matter of personal preference, they are slightly different in
terms of layout and they way they are structured. I prefer the Rough
Guide but really it is a toss-up. Both are mainstream guides, but each
has a small amount of resources and information for wheelies. GENERAL POINTS ACCESS Australia is not bad in terms of
access. The standard is somewhere half way between the USA and Europe.
Access to shopping centres and other modern centres is good, public
transport is not bad, and car hire is good. However, many small
establishments, older buildings, hotels and motels are not accessible. A
bit of planning for accommodation and travel is necessary. HEALTH Apart from the various snakes and spiders there are no special health issues with Australia. One issue worth mentioning though is the heat. Apart from the usual problems of keeping hydrated and cool, and avoiding sunburn, it is important to be very vigilant for skin damage. I live in a temperate climate and after four weeks in Australia had developed worrying skin breakdown in those sweaty little places that you don’t talk about to strangers. If you normally live in a hot climate you probably already have a care regime to handle this, but in my case I had to use medicated talc, creams and strict skin care to avoid serious problems. Bear it in mind – you are going to perspire a lot! GETTING THERE THE FLIGHT I flew with Cathay Pacific (http://www.cathaypacific.com/) from London to Sydney via Hong Kong. It’s a long haul. The London-Hong Kong leg is about 12-13 hours. The Hong Kong-Sydney is a mere 8 hours. Long haul flights present special problems for a wheelie. I used a Jay Protector (search in seating products at (http://www.sunrisemedical.com/) to sit on to minimise pressure sore risk. Note that Jay do not recommend using the protector for more than 3 hours at a stretch – so I would pull it out for a few hours then push it back under me. The theory is that the change in surface helps redistribute the pressure. I don’t know if that is what a doctor would recommend – but it worked for me! After a flight like that you are going to be tired, dehydrated, and in my case my feet and legs were bloated. I did not do the two legs back to back. Instead I stayed overnight in Hong Kong on the way out, and took a five day break in Hong Kong on the way back. I was very glad I got the chance to rehydrate and, most importantly, lie flat to get the fluid out of my legs between flights. Of course you can eliminate this problem by flying First Class – you will also eliminate a substantial amount of your bank balance! Cathay Pacific was efficient in all but one aspect of travel. The staff was friendly and the seats in economy were comfortable with reasonable leg space. Each seat had a personal screen with a good selection of entertainment. Food was good. Where they fall down is in the process of getting you on and off the plane. The staff appear to have no training at all. In all four flights that I took they produced an aisle chair from the aircraft. No one appeared to know how to unfold it and set it up for use. Luckily I travel a lot and have seen nearly every variety of chair out there so I could set it up myself. In one instance I had to ask another passenger who was boarding to unfold the chair as I had not the strength to do it myself. A novice flyer would have been in trouble. The next problem is getting on and off the aisle chair. The air hostesses were prepared to lift me themselves. However, I am not a small man, and they were not large ladies, so I don’t think it would have worked. I am strong enough to transfer myself, but if you need assistance either bring it yourself or make your needs known to every one you see as you make your way to the aircraft. I am sure that they could have found some strong assistance if required, but again the assistants were not trained in lifting. One final point. It is
(apparently) Cathay Pacific policy not to bring your chair to the
aircraft door when dis-embarking. This is the first time I have ever
encountered a policy like this, but this is what I was told in Hong Kong
(when they didn’t bring it). If you want the chair at the aircraft you
must mention this at check in. It does no harm to mention it when
boarding, to both the ground crew and the purser on board. In fact, tell
everyone. For the other legs of the journey they brought the chair to
the aircraft as requested. THE AIRPORTS Cathay fly from Terminal 3 in
Heathrow, London. The terminal is fully accessible. There is a shopping
area, waiting lounge and accessible toilets. Be aware that the gate can
be 15-20 minutes walk away from this area. Our stop-over was in Hong
Kong.
Again, Hong Kong airport is modern and fully accessible. We received
courteous and friendly ground assistance right from the plane to the
train that brings you into Hong Kong itself. The Airport Express train
is accessible; the carriages at the each end have spaces for a chair to
park. A really great feature when you are leaving Hong Kong is that you
can check in your backs in Hong Kong central station, then take the
train unencumbered by luggage out to the airport. Sydney airport is fully
accessible. We found the ground staff exceptionally friendly (a trait we
found repeated around Australia) and several times were pulled out of
various queues to be brought through a “staff” or “express”
route to immigration, baggage or whatever. GETTING AROUND Both Hertz and
Avis will rent
cars with hand controls given at least 48 hours notice. One annoying
thing is that you cannot do this over the internet, you must phone. Long distance busses are not accessible. Taxis are required by law to
pick you up, and I noticed quite a few accessible taxis in the various
cities we visited. SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE & CIRCULAR QUAY Due to illness we didn’t get
to see as much of Sydney as we had intended – our excursion was
restricted to a short visit to Circular Quay and the
Opera House. Sydney commuter rail is sort of
accessible. You need to find a station guard to get a ramp to assist you
onto the train. They will then radio your destination so that someone is
waiting to assist you off. Not all stations are accessible, but there is
a very good guide book available from the information booth in
Central
Station (also try www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au
or +61-(0)2-9379-4441) with
access details on all stations in the Sydney. Timetables will often
indicate accessible stations also. The area around Circular Quay is wonderful for a chair. It is flat and pleasant to walk along. There are many (expensive) restaurant and cafes. Not many of these are accessible but all have outdoor (and therefore accessible) seating. The Quay East Chinese restaurant has level access to large non-adapted toilets. Access to the Opera
House is a little awkward. There are a lot of steps up to the
main entrance. However, there is a concourse below the Opera House with
shops and cafes. There is level access to this from Circular Quay, and
ramped access from the harbour-side walk. At the far end of this
concourse is a disabled sign beside a door. You have to get security to
open the door, but behind it s an elevator giving access to the Opera
House level. It is possible to have a tour. Normally you must book these
in advance. We were lucky to get one by arriving on spec at the tour
office about half-way along the concourse. There is access to most areas
of the Opera House and the tour is well worth while, a very entertaining
and informative guide. South West Rocks We spent a few days in South West Rocks. This is a pleasant sea-side resort about 7 hours drive north of Sydney (not far north of Port Macquarie). It has spectacular beaches. The centre of the town is not flat, but the slopes are manageable. Places to Stay Costa Rica Motel The Costa Rica Motel has an accessible room. Small (60mm) step. Room is a good size. Large sliding door gives access to the central courtyard over a small lip. The bathroom is large. There is no built in shower chair – management will provide a plastic garden chair if required. The shower is a combination fixed or hand-held option. There is a small pool that is accessible and communal kitchen, also accessible, as well as an outdoors BBQ. An Indian restaurant beside the motel is accessible via a ramp. It is about 1km out of town, and there are some steep hills so wheeling into the town may be beyond some. Laurieton Stopped at Pilot Beach close to Laurieton (about an hour south of South West Rocks). It is worth a mention as it is extremely sheltered giving an option for swimming. The beach is easily accessible and there is an accessible toilet and shower in the public toilets. Melbourne airport is fully
accessible, no difficulties getting around or finding accessible
toilets. The airport is about 25km from the Central Business District
(CBD),
we hired a car. Our Hertz vehicle came with a thick book with detailed
city and state maps. Near the back is a superb accessible map of the CBD,
with street gradients indicated, accessible toilets (even non-public
ones in hotels), accessible phones, taxi ranks and so on all indicated.
A great idea – pity more cities don’t issue them. This map and other
extremely useful information on access is available at http://www.accessmelbourne.vic.gov.au.
Pity I only found this website after visiting Melbourne! The CBD is fairly flat and laid
out in a grid like a US city. It is small enough to wheel around without
any great difficulty so we did not need to use public transport. Many
shops, restaurants and bars have a single step in so some assistance is
required. Hotels All
Seasons Welcome Hotel This
hotel is located in Chinatown and is
very convenient for exploring Melbourne centre.
Level access is from an alley beside the hotel, you need to take the
elevator to the first floor to reach reception. Parking is awkward as
the Car Park is several 100 metres away and not very accessible. If you
have a disabled permit there is on street parking closer. Our room was
very large and included a kitchenette and fridge. The large bathroom has
a hand held shower and very solid built in shower seat. Strongly
recommended. The
Emerald Bar on Flinders Lane has
level access, but there is a single step platform in the bar area
itself. No accessible toilet, but level access to the “ordinary”
ones. It is a relaxed, comfortably tatty place. The
Great Ocean Road starts about 100km
south west of Melbourne, and hugs the coast for 150km of very
spectacular scenery. It is well described in all the guide books so I
won’t go into it here other than to say it is well recommended. This
section describes the places we investigated and stayed at. Lorne About
2-3hours (depending on how much gawping you do) drive from Melbourne,
Lorne is a picturesque little town with a fabulous beach. Accommodation Flag
Lorne Main Beach Motor Inn Large
accessible room with kitchenette facilities. Bathroom has hand held
shower and built-in shower seat. Large doors. Level access to reception.
Motel is up a steep hill from the main street. Other
option (didn’t stay there) Best
Western Lorne Coachman Inn, Great Ocean Road, VIC 3232, Tel:
+61-3-5289-2475. http://www.bestwestern.com.au/lornecoachman Restaurant Just
past Lorne there is a pier on the right hand side with a seafood
restaurant called “The Pier”.
There is level access onto the outside terrace, single step to the
dining room inside. No accessible toilets, but level access to the
“ordinary” ones. Space is tight in the toilets. Lorne to Port
Fairy This
covers the most of the Great Ocean Road. It is possibly a little far to
drive in one day, so if you have more time consider over-nighting
somewhere along the way. There are many beaches but most beaches,
viewing points and stopovers are not accessible. Past
Apollo Bay, at Mait’s Rest, there
is an area of temperate rain forest. A path has been opened up into the
forest. It s a loop and is sort of accessible. There are many steep
inclines but the worst parts have a boardwalk over them. This path is
not suitable for power chairs, and manuals will need the help of a fit
friend. But if you can do it, do so. It is beautifully peaceful and
verdant. The full walk will take over an hour. An
hour or so further on are the spectacular twelve apostles, sea stacks
broken out from the fast eroding coast. The car park, visitors centre
and viewing platforms are a model of their type and fully accessible,
although the inclines are a little steep here and there. At the centre,
there is a company offering helicopter rides (AU$75-AU$120 per person).
They are willing to take wheelies so long as it is possible to get into
the chopper. If you are light they will lift you in. In my case it was a
tricky transfer, but not unlike trying to get into a 4WD vehicle. The
ride is spectacular and we got some great photos. We
also took a 6km detour down a dirt track (very poor surface) to
Moonlight Point. This was a pleasantly peaceful spot away form the
tourist hoards. A path runs down to the shore but it gets progressively
steeper as you progress so we turned back. In the heat neither of us
thought we would have the energy to push back up that hill! Port
Fairy more or less marks the end of the spectacular Ocean Road section
of the journey. The town itself is historic by Australian standards. It
has a compact and flat centre just a few blocks long. Rebecca’s Café
on Sackville St. does excellent, if a little pricey, lunches. They have
an accessible toilet, but to get to it involves asking most of the
diners to move out of your way! The quays are just a few blocks from
Sackville St. and make a pleasant walk. There is an island, which is now
a nature reserve. A concrete walkway gives level access but the “round
island” walk quickly turns to very sandy path that is near impossible
for a chair. With the help of a strong and foolish friend I managed to
make it to the lighthouse but it was a difficult and strenuous journey.
There is an accessible WC in the public toilets near the access to the
island, although it was infested with mosquitoes when I visited! Accommodation: Flag
Seacombe House Motor Inn This
is a National Trust Property with a restaurant, but the motel rooms are
in a modern block built at the back. Disabled room is large and
comfortable, with microwave and fridge. Bathroom has hand held shower
and built in shower seat. Parking is on grass which may be difficult for
some, especially if it has been raining. Other
option (Not tried): Best
Western Ashmont Motor Inn & Apartments, 47 Bank Street, VIC 3284,
Tel: +61-3-5568-3199. http://www.bestwestern.com.au/ashmontinn Restaurant The
Dublin Inn (57-59 Bank Street. Tel:
+61-3-5568-2022) is an upmarket restaurant serving some French and
Aussie dishes (Kangaroo for example). There is a single step into the
dining room and a narrow door (I estimate 720mm) and no access to the
toilets. Dubbo
is about 400km West and a little North of Sydney. It marks the crossing
of two main highways to the North and West, and is a sizable town of
about 40000 people. That said, it has not got a whole lot to offer the
tourist. The main attraction is Dubbo Western Plains
Zoo, and it is by
far the best, largest and most well designed zoo I have ever seen. You
can drive around the zoo, but to see the animals properly you will need
to get out of the car. After about 11:00am the day gets so hot that the
animals hide un-cooperatively in the shade and are difficult to see
clearly. The zoo organises guided walks at 06:45am Saturday and Sunday,
and also on school holidays. This is definitely worth doing as the guide
takes you behind the scenes and explains a lot about the animals. The
walk is reasonably accessible though there are some steep inclines and
rough surfaces so assistance would be required. A powered chair may not
be able to get everywhere, but would still get value from the walk. If
you are concerned, try to get there early (say 06:30) before the main
crowds as then the guides will be able to listen to your needs and give
advice. We got there at 06:55 and the place was very busy – hundreds
of people do this walk and the guides take groups of about 20 at a time
around the enclosures. The café and shop by the main entrance are
accessible with accessible wc. The
other attraction in town is Dubbo Old Gaol.
This was a working gaol up to 1968 but is now open to the public. It is
broadly accessible, but there is a large step (200mm) into the main cell
block. If your chair is very narrow (640mm) you can get into the
solitary confinement cells. To be honest, your quality of life would not
be greatly reduced by not getting to see the gaol, but kids love it. Accommodation Best
Western Countryman Motor Inn This
is “accessible with assistance”. There is a small (70mm) step into
the adapted room. The rooms are old and the air-conditioning is not very
effective. Bathroom is large and has a hand held shower. There is no
built-in shower seat but one will be provided by the management if you
ask. There is a step (100mm) to a platform leading into reception, and
another step (120mm) from this into reception itself. Other
options (not tried): There
are plenty of motels in Dubbo. These are listed as having accessible
rooms: Best
Western Blue Diamond Motor Inn, 113 Wingewarra St., NSW 2830, Tel:
+61-2-6882-0666. http://www.bestwestern.com.au/bluediamond Best
Western Aberdeen Motor Inn, 25 Cobra St., NSW 2830, Tel:
+61-2-6884-1700. http://www.bestwestern.com.au/aberdeen Endeavour
Court Motor Inn, 94-98 Bourke St., NSW 2830, Tel: +61-2-6881-1000.
http://www.goldenchain.com.au Blue
Gum Motor Inn, 109 Cobra St., NSW 2830, Tel: +61-2-6882-0900. http://www.goldenchain.com.au/
(Accessible with assistance) Restaurants The
Best Western Countryman Motor Inn has a small but excellent restaurant,
really a surprise for a motel restaurant. Access is from the reception;
see access notes under accommodation above.
Close to the motel, on Cobra Street, is the Keg that is a
straight-up, rather unexciting, Australian steak and grill type
restaurant. Level access from the car park and accessible wc. BRISBANE & LAMINGTON NATIONAL PARK The
main reason for travelling to Southern Queensland was to visit O’Reilly’s
Rainforest Lodge in Lamington National
Park. We spent a night
in Brisbane and two nights in O’Reilly’s. The intention was to
explore Brisbane and do a few of the tourist sights, but the
temperatures were so hot that we retreated to the hotel and more or less
stayed there. Brisbane centre has
some steep inclines and the kerbs are not always cut. On the second
morning we walked to Queen St. Mall, which is really a pedestrianized
street with shops on each side. It is very lively. The area is flat and
easy to manage, but getting in to the shops can involve searching for
entrances and ramps. We
quickly got on the road to Lamington National
Park. It’s about two hours drive South. After passing
through the last village (Canungra) the road becomes very twisty and
narrow as it climbs up the mountain. In many places there is only room
for one vehicle. It is a dramatic and exciting drive with sheer drops
off to the side overlooking breathtaking scenery. When the road reaches
the plateau, it winds its way through patches of rain forest and gum
forest. The effect is magical as the trees dominate and control the
road, almost like walking in a forest. Eventually you reach O’Reillys
Rainforest Lodge. O’Reilly’s
caters for all ages and type. Your accommodation rate includes morning
and afternoon tea, and all activities. Meal packages are available. The
activities vary from energetic three day walks through the mountains for
the hardy, to very sedentary film viewing. The focus is always on the
environment and the rain forest itself. The activities of most interest
to a wheelie are the 4WD trips, the tree tops walk and a paved walk. The
4WD vehicles are not accessible. You will need to talk to the helpful
and friendly staff about your needs. They will carry you on board if
possible. In my case I was able to get out of the chair onto the steps
of the vehicle, and physically drag myself into a seat. You will not get
the same value from the trip as others unless you can hop on and off the
vehicle easily. The tree tops walk is an inspired attraction. It
consists of a gently sloping boardwalk which brings you into wooden rope
bridges that span the trees at three top height, 30m from the ground. It
is easily manageable without assistance for a manual chair. Check with
the staff about motorised chairs. About 1km from the guesthouse there is
a path that was built about 5-6 years ago specifically to give access to
the rain forest for wheelchairs. It leads over 2km to a stunning lookout
post. Unfortunately there are no funds available for its upkeep and it
is now falling into disrepair. This makes it tricky to manage. The
inclines can be quite steep so assistance will be required. In a few
years I guess it will become impassable for wheelchairs, which is a real
shame. Restaurants Circa We
stumbled across this restaurant, which claims to have won awards over
the last few years. It is well worth a visit if you want a special night
out (and can manage the access). The food was superb, one of the best
menus and taste combinations that I have eaten anywhere, and the service
perfect. This is an upmarket place and the bill reflects the standard of
the food. If
you call them they will tell you they are not accessible. In fact, the
main door has a large step, leading into a small lobby area. Six steps
lead up from this to the restaurant itself. However, another door a few
meters down the street acts as the kitchen and deliveries door. The step
here is lower (100mm) and it leads to a steep ramp into the kitchen. The
staff will lead you through (by prior arrangement). Access to the
restaurant from the kitchen is totally level. Accommodation Marriott
Hotel Well,
it is a Marriott so standards are high. We got a good deal and had a
truly magnificent time here. I asked for a room on “executive
level”. The bathroom was not “accessible by design” but was very
large with plenty of space to turn around. No shower, but a bath and a
hand held shower rose. I never use a bath seat but I presume management
could get you one if needed. All areas of the hotel are accessible,
including the swimming pool and sun balcony. O’Reilly’s
Rainforest Lodge This
is an experience. The lodge itself is built on a hilly site so there are
some steep inclines to negotiate. There is level access into the main
door and reception area. They have two rooms suitable for wheelchairs.
Access to these is either out through a long hilly route, or through the
restaurant and kitchen. The kitchen staff are extremely friendly and
obviously used to wheelies meandering through their work space. There is
a small (100mm) step into the room, which is very large with level
access onto a balcony. Ours had a stunning view out over the mountains
and forests. Bathroom is large, wheel-in shower but no shower seat. I
used a plastic garden chair. Hand-held shower. All areas of the resort
are accessible except the bar, but there are some very steep inclines
and assistance may be required. Although not a “perfect” spot from a
wheelie’s point of view, it is worth a visit because of the views, tranquility
and local (over) friendly parrots. Australia
has some superb wines – and you will find wineries popping up in the
most unlikely places. We could only visit a few, but here they are: Located
about three hours drive North of Sydney, the Hunter Valley is the most
famous of the Australian wine districts. It centres around the town of
Cessnock, with the vineyards stretching over the flat plains to the
North West of the town, and into the hills. There is a huge range of
vineyards, representing all major suppliers and it is very
commercialised. If you have time it is worth driving through Wolloomi to
get there (or home) as the route is quite scenic. Wolloomi Inn
specialises in a drink called “Jungle Juice”. The inn itself is
totally inaccessible, although a couple of friendly locals carried me up
the steps into the bar. Wineries Draytons Two
steps into tasting area, with large platform between them so you can
take them one at a time. Toilets in separate building, one step into
non-adapted toilet. Specialise
in fortified wines – in the style of port, sherry and Madeira. Hungerford
Hill Set
in an adapted wooden chapel. Accessible. There is level access to the
toilet but to be honest I cannot remember if it was adapted or not –
it was “usable” in the sense I could get in and lock the door but I
did not note whether it had grab rails (much wine had been consumed). They
have a good range of very fine wines, and friendly and informative
staff. The
Coonawarra valley is located in South
Australia, close to the Victoria
border. The main town is Penola, and the wine area stretches north of
Penola on either side of the Riddoch Highway. Penola is a pleasant
heritage town and worth a stop, it acts as an ideal base for exploring
the wineries. Wineries Balnaves
of Coonawarra Level
access into their award winning design tasting rooms, with a very
pleasant outlook over an pool. Balnaves have a superb selection of
wines, the difficulty is avoiding buying everything. There is no
accessible toilet, and access to the standard toilets is very difficult
due to a slope and a step. However, if you ask, a member of staff will
guide you to the office area where there is a large (but not adapted)
bathroom. Rymill
Winery Another
stunning tasting room. Level access from the car-park (via a bridge over
a goldfish filled pool) into the large tasting rooms. Accessible toilets
through a door at the back of the tasting room. Our
assistant was one of the friendliest we came across, and certainly the
most informative. The wines are superb – truly magnificent. This
vineyard is a “must visit” if you are in the area. Accommodation Coonawarra
Motor Lodge Level
access to reception, wine tasting room and restaurant.
One adapted room, level access from driveway. Large room.
Circulation in bathroom a bit restricted, roll in shower, no shower
seat, hand-held shower. Access to garden/pool area (100mm step).
Barbeque available to guests in the central garden/pool area. Large
selection of wine available for purchase. Run by very friendly couple.
Recommended Restaurant The
Hermitage Café & Wine Bar Level
access through a side door. Some changes of levels internally, but ramps
can be provided, although these are very steep in some cases. Good
selection of local wines and good food. About
four hours north-west of Sydney, Mudgee is an up and coming wine region.
Most of the vineyards are smaller and less commercial than the more
famous areas. There are still boutique vineyards not yet bought over by
the “big players”. As well as this Mudgee is surrounded by some
beautiful countryside, and a nearby reservoir provides sailing, swimming
and other water amenities. The town is compact and fairly flat (although
there is a gradual slope on the main street which gets a bit tiring
after a while!). There is an accessible toilet in the public toilets
beside the town hall. Wineries Red
Clay Estate This
is a tiny (7ha) boutique vineyard. Low step onto wooden veranda, then
another step (100mm) into tasting room. No accessible toilets. Great
selection of wines, and very friendly proprietors. Because of the small
size, they sell all their wine at the “cellar door” so you wont find
them in a bottle shop. But the wines are superb. Honey
Haven As
the name suggest, this isn’t really a winery! However, they also act
as an outlet for “Seldom Seen” wines which are available for tasting
so I mention them here. The shop focuses on honey and honey products,
more than you could possibly imagine, with honey available for tasting.
Ramped entrance from car-park, and accessible toilet (construction work
was just completing when I visited). They also have a café but this was
closed when we visited. Peter
Van Gent Tasting
rooms set in a large atmospheric, barn-like cellar room. To gain access
it may be necessary to ask the staff to open the large barn door
(normally, access is through a door set in to the barn door, but this is
narrow (640mm and involves a step). No accessible toilet. Only
person in Australia making Vermouth (and very good it is too). Large
range of wines. Accommodation Horatio
Motor Inn Modern
motel on the outskirts of the town (Sydney road). One step (80mm) to
reception. Easy access to bedrooms through automatic sliding doors,
fully ramped. Large comfortable, room. No shower seat, supplied by
management on request. Hand-held shower. Recommended. Hithergreen
Motel, 252 Henry Lawson Drive, Mudgee NSW 2850. Tel:
+61-2-6372-1022 We
didn’t actually stay in this motel, but found it set several km
outside the town right in the heart of the wineries, and it looked very
inviting. The road sign advertises accessible rooms and it has a café
and restaurant. Looked good if you are looking for a more rural setting
to relax in. Back to
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