Accessibility on Liquid Desire

 

• Inclusive Boarding Policy: Liquid Desire is dedicated to inclusiveness, particularly concerning accessibility. Boarding is facilitated through a pontoon with a ramp directly accessible from the car park. This approach ensures ease of access for individuals with physical disabilities.
• Pontoon Accessibility: Pontoons are chosen for their flat decks and ample seating, making them an ideal option for boaters with physical limitations. The design ensures level alignment with the dock, enabling seamless boarding for all, irrespective of limited mobility.
• Assisted Boarding: The crew on Liquid Desire actively assists individuals with limited mobility through a lift-and-carry approach. Elderly or injured passengers are carefully guided from the pontoon to the aft steps, which are conveniently on the same level and manageable with assistance. Access to the water is via a water level platform where sitting and sliding into the water is very manageable. Exiting the water and boarding the aft steps is very manageable with or without a ladder.
• Manageable Onboard Spaces: Once onboard, the yacht’s design caters to accessibility needs. Steps to the saloon are manageable with assistance if required, and the saloon itself offers a spacious, flat area with ample seating. Handrails are strategically placed throughout, providing additional support.
• Catering to Emotional and Cognitive Needs: Liquid Desire goes beyond physical accessibility by addressing emotional and cognitive special needs. The crew is trained to handle situations involving guests with behavioural issues such as autism, Tourette’s syndrome, eating disabilities, or Asperger’s. The emphasis is on creating a relaxing and enjoyable vacation experience for everyone.
• Tailored Crew Selection: Recognizing the importance of empathy and understanding, Liquid Desire takes a personalized approach to crew selection for charters involving guests with emotional and cognitive special needs. This ensures that the crew possesses the patience and skills necessary to provide a comfortable and enjoyable environment.
• Open Communication: Liquid Desire encourages open communication with guests to understand their expectations fully. By actively listening to the specific requirements of each charter, the yacht ensures a customized experience that caters to the unique needs of individuals with emotional and cognitive challenges.
• Strategic Design Features: The yacht incorporates design features such as handrails and grab holds in critical areas, including the bottom platform and the entry to the saloon. Along with water ladders when required.
• These elements enhance safety and accessibility, ensuring a secure and comfortable environment for all passengers.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS

Liquid Desire is committed to providing an unparalleled drift snorkeling experience that allows guests to explore the coral reef diversity and natural environments of the far north Queensland area, specifically focusing on the unique cultural background and heritage of the region’s first nation people. We place great importance on communicating the stories and history of the first nation people while promoting the preservation and protection of key aspects of the region.

ENVIRONMENTAL AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Liquid Desire’s commitment to environmental sustainability is at the core of our operations. We understand the importance of preserving the natural beauty of the Great Barrier Reef and ensuring that our presence has minimal impact on the environment. Our environmental aims and policies reflect our dedication to these principles:

DETAILS OF INTERPRETIVE CONTENT

• The GBR makes up about 10 per cent of the world’s coral reef ecosystems making it the largest in the world. It extends south from the northern tip of Queensland to just north of Bundaberg.
• The GBR has an average depth of 35 metres in its inshore waters, while on outer reefs, continental slopes extend down to depths of more than 2000 metres.
• The reef formation began around 20,000 years ago during the last ice age.
• When sea levels were lower, and continental shelf on which the GBR stands was exposed, rainwater eroded the land, creating river channels and valleys. As the ice caps melted and sea levels rose, these valleys became flooded, creating a complex network of drowned river channels including coral communities.
• The coral colonies expanded and transformed into a larger reef structure. The reef continued to grow and over time contributed to the formation of unique geological structures and coral formations, such as reefs, atolls, and islands.
• The GBR includes some 3000 coral reefs, 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays and about 150 inshore mangrove islands.
• Islands are formed through a combination of coral reef foundation, waves and currents, sediment accumulation sand cay formation and shallow water.
• Mangroves in the GBR survive safety environments through excreting salt through specialised glands found in their leaves. You can observe salt crystals on the leaf surfaces!
• The Daintree Rainforest is considered one of the oldest rainforests on Earth. It is estimated to be around 180 million years old, making it older than the Amazon Rainforest. There is ecological interdependence between the GBR and rainforest including:

ABORIGINAL CULTURE AND HERITAGE

The GBR is the Sea Country home for the first Australians — more than 70 Traditional Owner groups — whose connections to the marine environment date back more than 60,000 years.

Those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who have spiritual or cultural affiliations with a site or area in the Marine Park — or are holders of native title with that site or area, and are entitled to undertake activities under custom or tradition — are termed Traditional Owners.

The Kuku Yalanji people are the Indigenous inhabitants of the land extending from south of Mossman to Cooktown in the north. Nature is a hugely important part of the Kuku Yalanji culture. They have intimate knowledge of its cycles that has passed down generations. They are often known as the “rainforest people” because of their close affinity with nature and their surrounding scenery. Appendix B outlines more detailed information used by Liquid Desire to educate on traditional custodians of the land surrounding the GBR.

Storying telling is used to increase guests understanding of Indigenous culture. For example, local tribes would meet in Port Douglas when there was a conflict to settle. The men would paddle out to Low Isles to resolve disputes and one would come back. The woman would paddle to resolve disputes Snapper Island and one would come back.

Hunting for culturally significant animals, such as dugong and turtles using modern equipment, is still regarded as a traditional practice provided it is undertaken by Traditional Owners in their own sea country.

Liquid desire respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners ( Kuku Yalanji ) and custodians of the land (and/or sea) on which we live work and share.