I_can_explore

10/06/2026

Over the weekend it was of great sadness to hear of the passing of Elise Lonsdale. Elise is well known for her expertise in Disability & Assistive Technology and has been providing services to the blind and low vision community for many years.

Elise was always very enthusiastic and passionate about technology and enjoyed teaching children and adults of all ages. She was a strong advocate for digital accessibility, always connecting people, promoting small businesses.
She was a squeeky wheel, and not afraid to share an opinion or 3 about all matter of topics including Chairman Dan, Woke-atarians and the chinese spies who embedded chips in my car, and all delivered in good humour.
Elise and I spent together pursuing her passion for Photography around Melbourne, we were always looking for the next best location to capture the next best shot, that she would later process at home till the wee hours of the morning to photographic perfection.

Thank you Elise for sharing your dedication, passion, energy and humour and kindness to others that needed your help.
In honour of Elise, I must share a few of the best photos I captured her.

16/03/2026

Melbourne Comedy Festival is advertising their accessible services at the festival this year. The link below goes directly to the Accessibility page.

Note: Travellers Aid is assisting at 3 selected shows.
In addition this year they have added a new companion card registration to make it quicker to book companion tickets at selected venues.

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/accessibility/
Brand new this year, the Festival can now offer Companion Card tickets online for those verified with us!
Once verified, you will be able to book one Companion Card ticket per session, alongside a paid ticket/s. Simply select the performance(s) you'd like to see, add one or more paid tickets to your cart, and add an additional Companion Card ticket. Make sure you're logged into your Comedy Festival account to access these tickets.

Guide Dogs & Assistance dogs - all welcome but be mindful of fixed chairs and crowded seating - they suggest contacting festival staff or the venue to make sure your seated in an area with enough space.

Check out 'accessible services at the festival' for step free/ wheelchair access, assistive listening- hearing loops, Auslan events, communication boards, sensory packs, relaxed performances, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower information. [email protected]

For those you still like to call and speak to a human or email, these services are still available. Phone lines are open 10-5pm Monday to Friday 03 9245 3788.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival strives to provide access and inclusion for everyone. The Festival offers a range of accessible services and facilities across our Festival managed and independent venues in order to ensure that all comedy lovers have access to a safe and enjoyable experience.

06/03/2026

We had a fantastic time at the Midsumma Festival! 🌈

In collaboration with VV AD, we were proud to be part of a fun-filled and inclusive audio-described tour during both the Carnival and the Street Parade.

Our members used cordless headsets to access the live audio description and were supported throughout the experience by the wonderful team of VV volunteers and I Can Explore staff.

It was a great way to ensure everyone could fully enjoy the colour, energy and celebration of the festival. Thank you to everyone involved for helping make the event accessible and inclusive!

Photo description: The image shows a group of people standing outdoors in a park-like setting. There are five individuals in the foreground, with three wearing colorful, elaborate costumes resembling birds. These costumes feature vibrant colors such as pink, purple, and white, with feather-like textures and large beaks. The individuals in costumes are holding decorative staffs.
Two other people are standing next to them, one holding a large rainbow-colored umbrella.

23/09/2025

Hi All, Just in case anyone missed the fabulous news, Travellers Aid Australia is now available at Melbourne Airport.
The Melbourne Airport Assist service helps travellers navigate between the airport’s car parks, check-in areas, baggage halls, and passenger pick-up and drop-off zones.
General opening hours
6.00am to 10.00pm
Monday to Sunday

Call ahead and pre book, book online via website or call on arrival.
0492 868 960

For further information please check the Travellers Aid website.

The Melbourne Airport Assist service helps travellers navigate between the airport’s car parks, check-in areas, baggage halls, and passenger pick-up and drop-off zones.

29/07/2025

CHUNKY MOVE in Southbank has an Audio Described performance coming up....We love this :) Check.it.out!

Join choreographer Melanie Lane for an Audio Described performance of her haunting new dance work PHANTASM, plus a pre-show Tactile Tour, Saturday 16 August at Chunky Move Studios in Southbank.

Phantasm is an immersive performance that reimagines dance as a multisensory experience. Featuring four powerful dancers, the work draws from stories of ghosts, jinns, witches, sirens, and heroines—figures of resistance, knowledge, and power from across cultures and mythologies. Through evocative scents, textured staging, and a live soundscape of electronic and percussive music, Phantasm creates a world that is felt as much as heard.

At the Tactile Tour, meet Melanie and the dancers for a chance to get hands-on with an array of not-so-usual costumes, set pieces and props.

Saturday 16 August
Tactile Tour: 6pm
Audio Described performance: 7pm
Chunky Move Studios, Southbank
Tickets: Access Tix are $25 per person, companion cardholders free
For more information and to book, head to this link:
http://phantasm.eventbrite.com.au/
email [email protected] or call 03 9645 5188.

111 Sturt St, Southbank, VIC 3006, Australia
www.chunkymove.com

Image description: A female dancer with her back turned to us seems to float in the air as she leaps, her arms holding a layered light-pink ballerina skirt out behind her. In the dark background, a tall figure lurks, standing behind the shiny metallic surfaces of a drum kit.

Feminine supernatural forces rise from the shadows

12/07/2025

Cass & Kim testing out the new Touch & Track device at the Doggies Vs Crows game. Few hiccups with connectivity initially, but all came together in the end. Pretty excited for these devices to available now at Marvel Stadium for AFL games. Making Sport more interactive for people who are Blind or Low Vision. Yay 🥳.

30/06/2025

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Association of Victorian Sculptors for facilitating a tactile exploration of the current exhibits on display at the Victorian Artists Society, located at 430 Albert Street, East Melbourne, behind the Eye and Ear Hospital. The general public is not permitted to touch the exhibits due to their fragile nature; however, a team of artists compiled an extensive list of sculptures that we could explore at a pre-arranged time, which was truly exceptional. Art is often inaccessible, but this experience allowed us to engage with the artists themselves and gain insight into the dedication required to create these stunning pieces.

This exhibition has now finished but we will be delighted to attend again next year.

Please find a link to the exhibition.

https://sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/exhibitions/view_exhibition/2025-annual-awards-exhibition

09/04/2025

As we explored a gravel and sandy coastal track, I couldn’t help but capture this image of the trail left behind from our swifty cane users. As the cane tips sweep side to side in the sandy patches of the track it leaves a lovely squiggle pattern that would also look much like a charge of snakes have also explored the trail.
Thankfully no snakes. Just some VIP’s out for a stroll 😁
Images 2 &3 contain 5 wonderful women walking along the foreshore dodging seaweed with their canes and a scenic photo at the lookout, with a vast sandy beach, blue water and crashing waves.

15/03/2025

Huge shout out to the incredible humans that I am truly privileged to work with. In true I Can Explore fashion, we embarked on a 5km walk with leading some bery charismatic llamas around Hanging Rock. This was delightfully fun.
Looking forward to another great year with Malcolm Fraser, Verity McLucas, Nicola Misso and Michelle Sharples.
Thank you all for your professional and fun filled O&M and Support services you provide to our valuable members.
Pictures contain scenic view of Hanging Rock landscape with Jess, Malcolm, Verity, Nicola and Michelle each paired with a charismatic Llama.