By Callum Ludwig
Yarra Ranges resident Noel Robinson has a form of glaucoma, where the nerve connecting to the eye is damaged causing him near blindness, and is concerned about accessibility in the town.
Mr Robinson’s vision is pretty good at long distances, but he struggles to see clearly at a short distance and has no vision when looking towards his feet.
Mr Robinson said he started going blind in 1979.
“I was driving home and when to make a right hand turn and crashed into a steel post. I didn’t see at all,” he said.
“I went to an eye specialist and was diagnosed with glaucoma. Only four years ago I completely lost vision in my left eye.
Mr Robinson was formerly a mechanic, but could no longer work when it got to the point he couldn’t properly coordinate his hands in front of him. He relies on a walker or a cane to get around.
Mr Robinson identified a number of concerns he had about a number of areas in Healesville that are difficult to navigate for people with a disability such as his. He pointed out a lack of handrails, elevated entrances and difficulty at traffic lights as his main issues.
Acting Director Communities at Yarra Ranges Council Corinne Bowen said continuing to create a more accessible and inclusive Yarra Ranges is of very high importance to Yarra Ranges Council.
“Our Disability Advisory Committee (DAC), which we are currently seeking new members for, has a big hand in advising Council on where improvements can be made around the municipality,” she said.
“DAC members, some of whom have low vision, do a number of site visits in the Yarra Ranges as part of their role on the committee. This is to test the accessibility of many areas in the region, with recent examples being the new train station in Lilydale, the Warburton Trail, and some of our pop-up parklets just to name a few.”
The DAC and other enquiries submitted to the Yarra Ranges Council are investigated to consider how a particular area or facility could be made more accessible.
Ms Bowen said Yarra Ranges Council encourages community member who comes across an accessibility issue within the Yarra Ranges to please contact them by phone, online or in person at one of our community links so we can assist them.
“From a proactive perspective, whenever we are developing new or upgrading existing infrastructure as part of our major projects, we ensure that through our consultation with the community (including people with a disability and their family members), as well as the DAC, that they are being designed and constructed with accessibility for all in mind,” she said.
“Part of our role in accessibility is not only raising awareness but also reducing the stigma. This can be done by highlighting and celebrating the amazing work of our DAC as well as utilising awareness days such as International Day of People with a Disability to run events and increase knowledge and understanding of the importance of accessibility and inclusion in our community.”
For Mr Robinson, he stressed that he understood accessible facilities could be expensive or impractical and just hopes to raise awareness among the community to help look out for people like himself.
