Disability advocate David Cawthorn knows what it means to navigate life with limited mobility — and he also knows the difference the right support can make.
Visiting Hobart’s Queens Domain, David recently took another turn on the TrailRider, an all-terrain wheelchair now available for free hire from the Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre. For him, it represents something simple but powerful: access.
“The trail rider is very good. It gives people with limited mobility issues access. For people with a disability or who have limited mobility issues, this enables them to enjoy nature,” he said.
Beyond mobility, he sees its broader impact.
“It is so good for people to get out and about. If they’ve got mental health issues, this can give them the freedom of being able to go bushwalking with friends.”
The TrailRider, purpose-built for bush tracks with a sturdy frame and power-assisted motor, allows users to explore uneven terrain with the help of two companions.
Positioned at the Aquatic Centre — right beside Queens Domain's network of accessible trails — it opens up Hobart’s bushland in a new way.
For David, who uses a wheelchair every day, that difference is immediate.
“This gives people with a disability a lot more freedom because in a wheelchair you are restricted on gravel slipping around and stuff,” he said.
“Being able to go out on a day like today on a weekend with friends... you can organise some friends together and you can go for a hike or push or however you want to call it.”
That sense of freedom is something he remembers clearly from his first experience, years ago.
“Oh it was amazing it was just another way for people to be inclusive, to give people a go on a little bit more challenging tracks that you can instead of just paved ones or plank ones.”
The City of Hobart has made the TrailRider free to hire, removing cost barriers that might otherwise prevent people from using it.
Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the decision reflected the city’s commitment to inclusion and access to nature, particularly given how expensive specialised equipment can be for individuals.
For David, the importance goes beyond one piece of equipment. It is about a broader mindset.
“We don’t want to be treated any different," David said.
“We want to be able to access the same facilities, the same areas that able-bodied people can.”
With access not only to the Queens Domain but also other reserves such as Knocklofty, Waterworks and Wellington Park, the TrailRider offers new possibilities.
David is already thinking ahead.
Asked what he is most excited to explore, he didn’t hesitate: “Just exploring the whole of the Domain and then having the ability to try maybe more adventurous (tracks) such as the Mount Wellington tracks as this enables that to be done.”
In a city defined by its natural beauty, the TrailRider is helping ensure more people can experience it — freely, safely and together.