In Good Company - October 2026
In Good Company: Have you heard how the Deaf Games showed us what makes an event truly inclusive?
Our recent In Good Company gathering was hosted by SCEIA Committee Member Zoe Sparks from Spectacular Events, with guest speaker Garry West-Bail, who recently led the 2026 Australian Deaf Games on the Sunshine Coast.
Garry brings 35 years of experience in sports management, most recently working with the Australian Sporting Alliance for People with a Disability. His brief for the evening was to share learnings from the Australian Deaf Games and explore how these could be applied to future
Sunshine Coast events and the broader tourism and leisure industry.
As is typical of our In Good Company gatherings, the evening sparked some robust and thought-provoking conversations. And there are links to the resources provided by Garry posted at the end of this article.
Accessibility is about more than compliance
Accessibility in Australian events is about much more than ramps, lifts and wheelchair access. It is about creating experiences where everyone can participate, connect and feel genuinely welcome, regardless of their physical, sensory, cognitive or psychosocial needs.
From festivals and sporting events to conferences and community celebrations, the events industry has an opportunity to rethink how we design, deliver and evaluate our experiences.
True accessibility means looking beyond minimum compliance to consider the entire attendee journey - from discovering an event and accessing information beforehand to navigating the environment and engaging with its content, people and experiences.
As our industry continues to evolve, the question is no longer simply whether people can attend an event, but whether we have done everything possible to ensure they can participate, belong and enjoy the experience on their own terms.
Learning from the Australian Deaf Games
The Australian Deaf Games, Australia's premier multi-sport event for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, featured 15 sports and attracted 1461 participants, competitors, volunteers, officials, friends and families from across Australia and New Zealand.
Most athletes, officials, volunteers and visitors are Deaf or hard of hearing.
The Games provide opportunities for social and elite competition while promoting participation in sport and its long-term health and wellbeing benefits. They also create an environment that balances healthy lifestyles, social connection and sporting opportunities, while providing a pathway for athletes to be selected to represent Australia at international Deaf sporting events.
Reflecting the Sunshine Coast's destination positioning, the essence of the 2026 Games was captured in the theme: “Achieving Sunshine Moments Together”.
Garry highlighted how enthusiastically several Sunshine Coast venues embraced the opportunity to welcome the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
For example, Caloundra RSL and the Sunshine Coast Airport undertook staff training in Deaf awareness and Auslan, while Library+ Caloundra hosted the National Deaf Exhibition, 100 Years Ago: Deaf Sports in the 1920s.
These initiatives helped create a more welcoming experience for participants and visitors, many of whom were highly complementary of the Sunshine Coast as a host destination.
Importantly, the benefits extended beyond the sporting competition itself. The Games demonstrated how local businesses, venues and community organisations can contribute to an inclusive destination experience.
Key takeaways for the Sunshine Coast events industry
The evening's discussion generated a range of practical insights for event organisers, venues, tourism operators and businesses looking to make their experiences more accessible and welcoming.
1. Make people feel seen, heard and welcome
People with a disability - whether their needs are physical, sensory or neurological - want to feel recognised, respected and included.
The more effectively a destination's venues, accommodation providers, restaurants and attractions cater to diverse needs, the more likely people are to choose that destination for an event and consider returning in the future.
Accessibility is not simply a service offering; it can be a genuine point of difference for a destination and as a result makes good economic sense.
2. Consider the entire attendee journey
The experience begins well before someone arrives at an event and continues after they leave.
For Deaf and hard-of-hearing attendees, accessible pre-event information can be particularly important in deciding whether to participate or purchase a ticket. Clear information about available support, communication options and what to expect helps people feel confident that their needs will be understood and accommodated - an important factor in any consumer decision making.
Event organisers should consider accessibility across the pre-event, during-event and post-event experience, rather than treating it as a single operational requirement.
3. Build a sense of community and belonging
Feeling safe, secure and welcome is important to creating positive experiences for people with diverse access needs.
Events can provide a valuable opportunity to connect with like-minded people and spend time in an environment where individuals feel understood and accepted among what Garry described as “their community”.
Social interaction is often just as important as the sporting competition or activity itself. Alongside the sporting program, the Australian Deaf Games featured approximately 35 social events, reinforcing the importance of connection and community.
Interestingly, these gatherings can also become opportunities for people from these communities to form friendships and even romantic relationships, further highlighting the broader social value of inclusive events.
4. Understand Deaf culture and communication preferences
Effective inclusion requires more than providing an interpreter or making information available in writing. It also means understanding the cultural and communication preferences of the people attending.
Social media is an important communication and promotional channel for many Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, with visual content, video and mobile messaging playing significant roles.
Hosts should also consider practical details such as lighting, visual announcements and clear communication protocols. For example, lighting cues may be used to signal the end of an event or communicate important information.
Communication should be clear, concise and accessible, with appropriate use of Auslan and visual information where relevant.
It is equally important to respect individual preferences. Not every Deaf or hard-of-hearing person communicates in the same way, so organisers should ask about access requirements rather than make assumptions.
5. Use technology and training to improve the experience
A range of tools and resources can help businesses and event organisers improve accessibility without necessarily requiring major infrastructure investment.
On-demand Auslan video interpreting services, accessible digital information and Deaf awareness training can help organisations communicate more effectively with Deaf visitors. Learning a few basic Auslan words and phrases can also demonstrate a genuine commitment to making people feel welcome.
Technology should complement, rather than replace, thoughtful service and meaningful human interaction.
6. Create opportunities to experience sport differently
Greater awareness can also be encouraged through sporting clubs and organisations that demonstrate how activities can be adapted to include people with different sensory and communication needs.
Garry highlighted examples such as “earplug touch footy” (Silent Challenge) where hearing is intentionally limited to help participants experience the game differently and better understand the challenges faced by Deaf players.
Initiatives like these can be powerful ways to build empathy, challenge assumptions and encourage broader participation.
An opportunity for the Sunshine Coast to lead
The Australian Deaf Games demonstrated what can be achieved when event organisers, venues, businesses and community organisations work together to create a welcoming destination experience.
For the Sunshine Coast, there is a significant opportunity to build on these learnings and establish accessibility as a defining feature of the region's events, tourism and leisure offering.
This starts with applying Universal Design Principles in venues and public spaces, alongside greater awareness, training and practical support for businesses. It also means engaging directly with people with lived experience of disability to understand what works, identify barriers and develop meaningful solutions.
Ultimately, accessibility should not be viewed as an obligation to meet minimum standards. It is an opportunity to improve experiences for everyone, strengthen community connections and make the Sunshine Coast a destination where more people feel confident to visit, participate and return.
The challenge for our industry is to move beyond asking whether an event is accessible and start asking a more meaningful question: What can we do to ensure everyone feels they belong?
Resources:
The following links highlight resources that can be used in promoting and educating individuals, organisations, governments / councils and event mangers in ensuring all Australians are welcomed and included in planned occurrences
Deaf Sports Australia - DSA
https://deafsports.org.au/auslan-videos/
https://deafsports.org.au/resources/downloadable-resources/
2. ASAPD
There are numerous communication tips at this resource
Guidelines and recommendations for indoor and outdoor venues are noted in the link - aquatics volume 3 will be uploaded soon
