Ensuring accessibility in Queensland national parks
Queensland Department of Environment and Science (Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service) | Digital Accessibility Audit and Report | Queensland, Australia | 2023
Credit: Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service
Audited digital accessibility across 15 Queensland National Parks
Developed the Accessible Tourism Indicator (ATI) framework
Assessed accessibility across the full visitor journey
Delivered practical improvement pathways for inclusive access
The Challenge
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service plays a critical role in ensuring nature-based tourism experiences are accessible to all visitors, including those with disability. However, barriers often occur before visitors arrive, particularly during the digital planning and information stages.
In alignment with Queensland’s Year of Accessible Tourism, a comprehensive accessibility audit was required to improve the inclusiveness of national park digital experiences.
Key challenges included
Identifying accessibility barriers in digital visitor information
Understanding accessibility needs across the visitor journey
Aligning accessibility improvements across park rangers and digital teams
Building internal capability to support inclusive tourism delivery
Our Approach
We developed a robust accessibility audit framework and undertook a comprehensive review of digital visitor experiences.
Our methodology included
Developing access audit criteria and the Accessible Tourism Indicator (ATI)
Auditing websites, social media channels and third-party platforms
Reviewing accessibility across consideration, planning, experience and sharing stages
Gathering insights through lived-experience expertise and disability user feedback
Benchmarking national park accessibility across Australia and New Zealand
Surveying people with disabilities to validate visitor journey experiences
Outcomes and Impact
Key Outcomes
Clear accessibility roadmap for digital visitor experience improvements
Low-effort and high-impact improvement pathways identified
Increased alignment between digital and park operations teams
Platform established to guide future accessible experience development
Economic and Social Impact
Improved accessibility enabled broader visitor participation
Strengthened inclusive tourism capability across internal teams
Increased knowledge and confidence in delivering accessible experiences
Supports Queensland’s leadership in accessible nature-based tourism
