"A Magical Weekend
. . . all people should be included when staying at O'Carrollyns and be able to participate in all that Port Stephens has to offer.
Port Stephens is just over 2 hours drive from Sydney. With its spectacular bays, beaches and interesting attractions, it is a wonderful place to get out of the city for a weekend.
O'Carrollyns offers quality villa accommodation surrounded by National Park and 500m from One Mile Beach.
My name is Tanya Pisk, and I have Spina Bifida. I rely on my wheelchair to get around and I am a member of a Youth Group. Every year we take the opportunity to get away for a weekend somewhere not too far from Sydney. This year we chose O'Carrollyns and Port Stephens.
Greg Carroll is the proud owner of O'Carrollyns and believes . . . all people should be included when staying at O'Carrollyns and be able to participate in all that Port Stephens has to offer.
My fiancée and I stayed in one the cabins. These two-storey cabins consist of a ground level containing a bedroom, bathroom, lounge/dining/kitchen. The bedroom is equipped with a double bed, linen, and basic furniture allowing plenty of room to move. The spacious bathroom has an easily accessible shower, toilet and basin with shower chair available. The well-equipped kitchen/dining area has cooking and utensils to cater for up to 7 people. Included in every villa is a television, video and radio with a comfortable couch for relaxing. Upstairs in a loft there were four single beds and a lounge/bed for all my friends.
The first night that we spent at O'Carrollyns, we had a delicious lounge BBQ dinner and played games in the Bait Shed overlooking a stunning lake full of wildlife and transversed by beautiful wooden bridges alight in fairy lights forming the centrepiece of the complex.
The next day, after breakfast, the group went for a walk to One Mile Beach. I was able to reach the top of the beach in my wheelchair and perch on a large rock to take in the spectacular views.
After lunch it was time go on the luxurious Moonshadow whale-watching cruise. We sailed through some beautiful small islands off the coast of Nelson Bay. Instead of seeing whales we were lucky enough to see three angelic dolphins playing under our boat. Moonshadow cruise is not accessible. However the crew are more than happy to lift anyone on board. There are 5 steps to board the ship, plus a large lip to enter the indoors section. To get outside onto the front of the cruise there are further 3 steps, plus another large lip. However, inside, there are plenty of tables and chairs with sufficient space for wheelchairs to manoeuvre up and down the isle between the tables. The windows are very large and there is also a fabulous underwater camera. Up on the deck outside there are two rows of benches and plenty of space for people in wheelchairs to sit there as well, but make sure you have your brakes on as the waves can get pretty rough!! After the 2-hour boat trip we relaxed on the shores of Nelson Bay with an ice cream.
For dinner that evening the group went to the Nelson Bay Bowling and Recreation Club. We had a sumptuous meal at the Marlins Bistro, which was packed with people. Some of the group decided that they wanted to watch the footy on the big screen in the lounge area of the club, whilst the rest of us went back to O'Carrollyns and sat around the bonfire that Greg had organised for us. We sang, drank and toasted marshmallows till the wee hours of the morning. It was great fun!!
On our last day, we rose from our comfortable beds and packed for our trip back to Sydney. However, there was one activity we had to do before we left.
Greg came over to pick me up for a ride on his tractor that would take me over onto the beach. One the back of the tractor, Greg had a freewheeler (a wheelchair designed to go onto the sand). The ride on the tractor was great! It went up to 40 km/h and not only did we ride on the road, we went though the bush and down onto the sand. Greg designed a ramp that when used with a sliding board makes it easy to transfer in and out. When using the free wheeler, you need to be pushed, but it is fun nevertheless. At one Mile Beach I was able to go for a stroll along the shores of the beach with some friends (who all competed to push me and all wanted to try the chair), when we got back we all sat in a group and devoured a beautiful lunch delivered to us at the beach.
Unfortunately, it was then time to leave. The drive back to Sydney was relaxing, but I will always remember my magical weekend at O'Carrollyns, Port Stephens."
Tanya Pisk |
