Townsville in the winter! Sounds so very exciting, especially when there are two excellent reasons to go: a wheelchair basketball tournament and a getaway for our 43^rd wedding anniversary. 

There are obviously a number of methods to travel the 1,100 kilometres or 680 miles from Maryborough; we could drive, we could fly, but, we thought we would explore travelling there by rail. With pensioner discounts and a companion card, the price ended up being very attractive, so we booked the journey. A simple phone call and we were booked right in, although, as a wheelchair user, as other wheelchair or mobility aid users would have no doubt experienced, there is a concern about just how right we were.

It was then that I chose to read some reviews of the trip on the Spirit of Queensland, and to say they weren’t positive is an understatement. Uncomfortable seating, rude staff, major hold-ups, there were a lot of negative reviews which did not instil any confidence in us for the 15-hour trip, but we happily prepared, and away we went!

Arriving at the station, the attendant checked our tickets, took our luggage and directed us to one end of the platform, telling us that the ramp will be placed at the relevant carriage for me to enter the train and true to his word, upon arrival of the Spirit of Queensland, it was only a minute or so before I was able to roll onto the train with both staff members offering me assistance. 

I rolled along the aisle way with little effort and entered the seating area of the carriage and was able to wheel right up beside my allocated seat, lift the armrest and transfer easily. My wife then took my chair and placed it behind my seat in an area reserved for mobility aids while she took her seat directly in front of mine. 

The ease with which this all happened was a very pleasant surprise, and the staff could not have been more helpful. 

Settling in for the trip, we had a multimedia system in the headrest of the seat in front with a choice of movies, TV shows, music and audio and a safety video. A set of earphones was in the pocket under the system to use, which plugged in beside the seat beside a USB port to charge phones, etc. However, mine had been rendered inoperable, but lower down there was a power point which I used on the trip to charge my phone. 

Staff came around checking tickets soon after departure and ensured I knew where the accessible toilet was located (which was very small) and asked if there was any assistance I would require during the trip. 

The food car was open all hours of the trip (a fact this coffee addict was very grateful for), and to gain access, which was the next car in front of ours, I was required to use my crutches as the aisle between seats was way too small for me to use my chair. Although I have many hundreds of hours of experience with crutches, it was still a challenge with the movement of the train, but I managed to make it uninjured several times. The food car itself was a very welcoming place with seating for about 20 or so people. The staff were very happy and very accommodating, and to have conversations with travellers of all ages and from different areas of Australia was such a pleasant experience. 

If someone in the disability seating wasn’t able to or didn’t wish to go to the food car, a staff member would take your order and bring it back to your seat, which one lady in another disabled seat took advantage of. 

Our arrival in Townsville was approximately 30 minutes later than scheduled, which was of little consequence to us, and once again, the ramp was in place well before I rolled out and down it. 

Our return trip was just as pleasant as our first trip, apart from arriving at Maryborough station at 4:30 am!

The only area for improvement that we found was the seating. After many hours, it did get slightly uncomfortable, and when arriving in Townsville, my wife purchased 2 cushions for the return trip, which helped immensely.

Overall, I feel I must give a huge thank you to Queensland Rail and the staff at both Maryborough and Townsville stations and those on the Spirit of Queensland, for the courteous and pleasant way you operate. 

And finally, as the cherry on top of a super week in Townsville, our wheelchair basketball team, Fraser Coasters, won the tournament! 

About the author:

Bill is a husband, father and grandfather who lives in the central Queensland town of Maryborough. Bill is an ambulant wheelchair user following two failed surgeries and has been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. He is very passionate about disability rights and social justice and was selected by Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN) to take part in the Emerging Leaders Program for 2024. Bill plays wheelchair basketball which he loves and serves on the committee of the club as Vice President. You can find Bill on X/Twitter @bilfulaAU, on bluesky as bil.bsky.social, and on Facebook as Bill Fuller