Werribee Zoo now accessible for all
Victoria’s newest Changing Places facility opened at Werribee Zoo last month. The Zoo joins 105 other venues around the country that are accessible to people of all abilities thanks to the ‘cutting-edge’ facilities.
Victorian Minister for Disability, Aging and Carers, Luke Donnellan, was on hand to launch the new facility in Werribee.
‘We want all Victorians to be able to participate in activities that many of us take for granted like visiting Victoria’s wonderful zoos, and Changing Places is a key part of making that a reality,’ he said. ‘This fantastic new facility opens up the last of Melbourne’s zoos to people with high support need and their carers,’ he said.
Both Melbourne Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary have the accessible facilities. Changing Places are specially designed to be larger and feature adult-sized change tables and tracking hoists.
Making an accessible world
The benefits of the Changing Places facilities are significant. Above all, they support various social, cultural, recreational and sporting opportunities for people with disabilities. They do so by improving the accessibility of the built environment. From visiting the zoo to the MCG, to local shopping centres and parks, Changing Places ensure people with disabilities have equal access to the world.
Changing Places was first launched in the UK in 2006. Today there are more than 1300 of the accessible facilities across the UK. The Association for Children with a Disability has led the campaign for the facilities in Australia since 2014. As a result, today, there are 106 Changing Places Facilities around the country.
For a full list of facilities in Australia.
For more information on the campaign, including how you can get involved, visit the Changing Places Website.
Ready to read more? Try these Inform links:
Five ways to support your immune system
“You’re hired!” – How to ace your next job application and interview