Glen Lough Cabins is a family-run business located in the Granite Belt region on a 40-acre property. The business recently constructed four new cabins with short-term accommodation, providing a little slice of heaven for guests.
The property features a dam, surrounded by picturesque walking trails at the top of the hill with breathtaking views and a creek that runs right through the premises. Beautiful flora and fauna can be found at this hidden gem, with 86 bird varieties spotted on the property over time.
Known as a mini-Girraween Park, the owners choose to have only four cabins to avoid spoiling the peace and tranquillity in the bush. It provides an opportunity for everyone to relax and enjoy being away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
We spoke to the wonderful owners at Glen Lough Cabins who secured funding from the Boosting Accessible Tourism Experiences Grant to improve the experience for individuals with accessibility needs.
Why is accessibility important to your business?
We have friends who are in wheelchairs and a grandson who has cerebral palsy, so we are aware of the challenges they face. When we started this venture, one of our friends in a wheelchair came to visit and found it hard to get around. So, we decided our cabins must be accessible to everyone. This is our little slice of heaven, and we want to share it with all who come to stay.
We must be inclusive and accessible in this evolving landscape where accessibility is a social responsibility. It is integral to the success and sustainability of our business. Broadening our customer base is crucial for any business, and customer appreciation is shown by addressing diverse needs.
Our cabin meets all relevant legislation, ensuring effortless mobility and accessibility throughout. Thanks to thoughtfully designed layouts and spacious interiors the cabins are a breeze. When guests arrive, a luxurious wet room awaits, boasting non-slip floors and ample room for manoeuvring, guaranteeing safety and comfort. Guests can step outside onto the expansive deck and indulge in awe-inspiring sunsets while immersing in nature. They can also stargaze using our telescopes to view the Milky Way and the night filled with stars.
Throughout the cabin, we have lower-height fixtures, which greatly enhance accessibility for individuals with mobility impairments. Wide doorways and open-plan floors allow for easy manoeuvrability.
The cabin caters to disabled guests but is also suitable for anyone seeking a tasteful getaway in the bush. Our disability cabin has a full wet room, including a roll-in shower for wheelchair use, a tilt shower seat for your convenience, grab rails, and a raised toilet, allowing any disabled person to come and enjoy the Granite Belt. There are not many disabled cabins like this around; in fact, we have been told it is the best one in the region as it fully caters to wheelchair users.
How will this project help improve accessibility for your business and guests?
Having a hoist and a tilt shower chair allows us to invite more types of wheelchair users. We quickly learned after opening that there is a higher level of wheelchair users than we initially catered for. Acquiring the hoist and tilt shower chair opens the opportunity to be more accessible and allows us to offer the cabin to a broader range of people.
We have already accommodated guests who are very grateful for the availability of this equipment. We have publicised our accessibility initiatives on websites, so the information reaches the public. We welcome any exposure to ensure more people with high needs and their support people become aware of the fully accessible cabin and the available equipment.
How has the grant from the department helped implement accessibility plans for your business?
We aim to be accessible to everyone and quickly learned that there are varying levels of accessible accommodation. An assisted wheelchair user may require help from either a support person or equipment (or both). To cater to everyone, we have acquired a Molift Smart 150 with two different size slings, and an Etac Swift Mobil-2 Tilt In Space Mobile shower commode. These are fantastic pieces of equipment for the assisted wheelchair user. They can also reduce the amount of equipment they need to bring, opening up the possibility for more people to stay with us who otherwise couldn’t due to the need to bring so much equipment.
The rest of our grant was used to concrete a disabled parking space beside the cabins as the surface for parking was unsuitable for wheelchairs. We could not afford to do any of this without the grant.
We aim to be open to everyone and always adjust the cabins based on suggestions from guests with disabilities who stay with us. Our plans evolve with time to suit everyone. We thrive on feedback which allows us to improve. We cannot imagine what it is like to rely on a wheelchair and other equipment, so their feedback is invaluable!