Cairns, Queensland · Reef & Island operators since 1991
Accessibility & Inclusion
The Great Barrier Reef belongs to everyone. Here’s how we support guests of all abilities across our boats, the Moore Reef Pontoon and Fitzroy Island.
Quick answer
Guests of all abilities visit the reef with us every day. Accessibility at Sunlover means more than wheelchair access — we plan for mobility, hearing, vision, sensory and cognitive needs. Our Moore Reef pontoon day is our most accessible experience, with assisted boarding, accessible toilets, reserved seating and ways to see the reef without swimming. Contact our Reservations team before booking and we’ll tailor the day to you.
Access for every ability
Reaching the outer reef involves tides, gangways and vessel design, so we’re upfront about what we provide — and what we need to know from you. Each section below covers one part of the journey or one type of support, and tells you which tour it applies to.
All tours
Plan your trip with us
Every guest’s needs are different. The more you share with us before booking, the better we can prepare. Please tell Reservations about:
- Mobility devices — the type (manual wheelchair, lightweight electric chair, walker) and its weight, so we can confirm crew can safely assist.
- Steps and stairs — whether you can manage a few steps (Catalina middle deck requires stairs; Sundancer has a ramp plus 2 steps).
- Hearing, vision, sensory or cognitive needs — so we can arrange written materials, orientation support, quieter areas or an adapted briefing.
- Assistance animals — accredited animals are welcome; please notify us at booking.
- Preferred support — reserved seating, assisted boarding, interpreter support or simply extra time to board.
Getting here: accessible parking is available in public parking facilities within 1 km of the Reef Fleet Terminal, Cairns Marlin Marina. Our staff can provide directions.
Best first step: call 07 4050 1333 or email res@sunlover.com.au before you book — we’ll tailor the day to you.
Carer travel
Travelling with a carer — Companion Card
If you hold an official Companion Card and need a support person with you, one carer can travel free of charge. The guest being cared for travels as the paid passenger.
To arrange this:
- Please book directly with our Reservations team — this fare can’t be booked online.
- Let us know at the time of booking that you’ll be travelling with a carer using a Companion Card.
- Present the Companion Card at check-in on the day of your tour.
Our Reservations team will be glad to help you arrange this.
Call Reservations — 07 4050 1333 →
The free carer fare applies to direct bookings. If you’ve booked through a travel agent, please contact us so we can help.
All tours
On board our boats
Accessibility on the day depends on the vessel, tide, gangway position, wheelchair type and your level of mobility — so the guidance below is general, and our Reservations team will always confirm the best option for your travel date.
Boarding: our catamarans use gangways for boarding at the Cairns Marina and at the pontoon. Depending on tides, gangway slopes can change (typically 2.0 m – 3.0 m). Portable ramps help wheelchair users across hatchways and onto gangways. Boarding via the middle deck involves 12 steps down to the bottom level. Crew assistance is subject to a safe lifting capacity of 20 kg.
Vessel facilities
Gangways, toilets & seating
- Gangway widths: Catalina 550 mm (bottom) and 700 mm (middle); Tropic Sunbird and Tropic Sunseeker 650 mm (bottom) and 700 mm (middle); pontoon gangway 650 mm.
- Accessible toilets: Tropic Sunbird, Tropic Sunseeker and Catalina have accessible toilet facilities. Sundancer does not.
- Designated wheelchair area: Tropic Sunbird and Tropic Sunseeker only — please advise crew so seating can be reserved. Catalina and Sundancer do not have a designated wheelchair area.
- Sundancer: manual wheelchairs only, and guests need enough mobility to manage the ramp and two steps. Not suitable for guests who need to remain in their wheelchair at all times.
Wheelchairs aboard
Which wheelchairs can come aboard?
- Standard manual (14–20 kg) and lightweight (5–20 kg) wheelchairs: yes — crew will assist. We recommend being first to board so crew can help with seating and access.
- Electric wheelchairs under 21 kg: yes — crew will assist; please plan to board first.
- Electric 21–30 kg and bariatric manual chairs (20–34 kg): not recommended, as they exceed the 20 kg safe lift capacity — a manual wheelchair or walker is suggested instead.
- Electric chairs over 30 kg and tilt-recline chairs: cannot be brought onboard.
- Mobility scooters: not suitable to be brought onboard any Sunlover vessel — a manual wheelchair or walker is recommended, depending on your mobility and tour.
| Trip | Gangway widths | Accessible toilet | Wheelchair area | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moore Reef | 650 mm bottom, 700 mm middle | Yes | Yes | Best vessel for wheelchair users; crew can reserve seating. |
| Reef & Island | 550 mm bottom, 700 mm middle | Yes | No | Wheelchairs can board; no designated wheelchair seating. |
| Fitzroy Island | Ramp + 2 steps | No | No | Manual wheelchairs only; no designated areas. |
| The Pontoon | 650 mm | On the boat | N/A | Wide flat decks, handrails, accessible to most manual chairs. |
Wheelchair users: please contact Reservations before your tour date with your wheelchair type and approximate weight — and plan to board first so crew can help with seating and access.
Moore Reef
The Moore Reef Pontoon
Our permanently moored pontoon at Moore Reef offers wide, flat decks with handrails and snorkel platforms with easy water entry. Toilets, including accessible facilities, are located on the boats rather than on the pontoon. Access to the pontoon on the day can depend on vessel operations, gangway access, tide and your mobility needs — contact us before travel so we can check arrangements for your date.
- See the reef without swimming: the Glass Bottom Boat, Semi-Submarine and Underwater Observatory bring the coral and marine life to every guest.
- Quieter spaces: lower-stimulus areas such as the sun deck offer a calmer spot away from the main activity hubs.
- Our crew are on the pontoon all day and happy to help with orientation, seating and activities.
Looking ahead: we’re investigating further improvements, including an in-water hoist that would benefit guests with accessibility needs as well as in-water rescue capability. Have a suggestion for us? Email operations.support@sunlover.com.au
Fitzroy Island
Fitzroy Island
Fitzroy Island is a fantastic day out — rainforest walks, beautiful beaches, calm snorkelling straight off the sand and the resident turtle rehabilitation centre. For most guests, including those with hearing, vision, sensory or cognitive needs, the island is a brilliant experience.
The challenges are specific to mobility, the island’s rugged natural terrain and access points: boarding and disembarking involves a ramp plus steps, only manual wheelchairs can be accommodated onboard (with no designated wheelchair areas), and the national park’s sand, rocks and uneven paths mean there are currently no wheelchair-accessible tracks. We’re actively advocating for options to improve access at Fitzroy Island.
Considering this trip? Talk to Reservations first so we can honestly assess whether it will work for you — or recommend our Moore Reef pontoon day, which offers our best accessibility.
Support for hearing, vision, sensory & language needs
Available across all tours. Let us know before you travel so everything’s ready on the day.
Deaf & hard-of-hearing
Safety briefings and Marine Biologist presentations are delivered verbally, paired with subtitled videos.
- QR codes let you watch safety videos with subtitles on your own device.
- Written summaries of key safety and reef interpretation content are available on request.
Blind & low-vision
Snorkelling, the Glass Bottom Boat and the Underwater Observatory are accessible with appropriate support.
- Our crew can provide verbal and tactile orientation onboard.
- Guests travelling with a sighted companion or guide are warmly accommodated.
Autism, sensory & cognitive
Busy, noisy environments can be challenging — we’re happy to plan around that.
- We can advise on quieter times of day and lower-stimulus areas such as the sun deck.
- Guided experiences and marine education can be adapted in delivery style, pace and complexity.
- Staff use plain language, visual cues and demonstration-based instruction.
Your language & format
Pre-trip information is available on our website, by email and over the phone — verbally or in writing.
- Onboard, our digital guidebook (QR code) explains the tour, facilities and the reef in multiple languages.
- Guests needing interpreter support, or travelling with a companion interpreter, should advise us at booking.
All tours
Assistance animals
We welcome accredited assistance animals on board. For the health and safety of all guests, other animals — including emotional support animals — can’t travel with us.
Welcome — accredited assistance animals
An assistance animal is trained to help a person with a disability and is formally accredited. These animals have public-access rights and are welcome on board:
- Guide, hearing and assistance dogs trained and certified in accordance with the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dogs Act 2009 (Qld), with a handler identity card issued under that Act — including dogs under training.
- Assistance animals as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) — animals trained to alleviate the effects of a person’s disability that meet the standards of hygiene and behaviour appropriate for a public place.
Not accepted — emotional support & comfort animals
Emotional support, therapy, companion and comfort animals can’t travel with us. While they provide valuable comfort, they aren’t accredited assistance animals under the laws above and don’t have public-access rights — this applies even if the animal is well-behaved.
A booking is required for all assistance animals, and they travel free of charge. Please notify Reservations at the time of booking, with accreditation details, so we can confirm arrangements for your travel date.
No government biosecurity approval or inspection is required for assistance dogs on domestic voyages in Australian waters. Please let us know promptly if your dog shows any signs of illness during or after travel.
Visiting Fitzroy Island? Certified guide, hearing and assistance dogs (including trainee dogs) are also permitted in the public areas of the national park under Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service policy — no prior park approval is needed. Please carry your handler identity card, or training evidence for DDA assistance animals, as you may be asked to show it.
Carriage is subject to it being safe and comfortable for the animal on the day — our crew will help you find the best spot onboard.
All tours
Our ongoing commitment
Accessibility awareness is part of staff onboarding and ongoing training — covering our accessible products and facilities, inclusive customer service, and practical skills such as the safe use of portable ramps and mobility assistance.
- Our accessibility provisions are reviewed as part of our annual business planning cycle.
- Where limitations currently exist, we document them honestly and keep working on solutions.
- We genuinely welcome feedback from guests with accessibility needs — it directly shapes our improvements.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the accessibility questions we hear most often.
Can I board in a wheelchair?
Can I bring a mobility scooter?
Which tour is best for accessibility?
Are there accessible toilets on board?
Can I stay in my wheelchair for the whole trip?
Can my assistance animal travel with me?
I’m Deaf or hard of hearing — how do safety briefings work?
Is Fitzroy Island wheelchair accessible?
Can I see the reef without swimming?
Do you offer a carer or companion discount?
Questions about accessibility?
Our friendly Cairns-based Reservations team is here to help with mobility, hearing, vision, sensory or any other accessibility questions — so you can step aboard with total peace of mind.
Call 07 4050 1333 →Phone 07 4050 1333 or 1800 810 512 · res@sunlover.com.au · Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence St, Cairns QLD 4870