Camden Council is committed to supporting and improving the lives of people living with a disability and their carers. Our Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2017-2021 is our public commitment to upholding the rights of people with disability by providing access to Council services and amenities.

There are more than 6,000 Camden residents currently living with some form of disability, so it’s important for us at Council to create inclusive and happy spaces that our residents don’t have to travel long distances to access.

Curry Reserve

Curry Reserve Water Play Space has a fully accessible and accredited public toilet and adult change facility. This Accredited Changing Places Facility is wheelchair-accessible and includes a tracking adult hoist system, full-sized adjustable change table, new toilet and shower and change room amenities.

Its accreditation means the facility is certified to cater for users with high support needs and their carers, where additional space, assistance and specialised equipment are required to allow them to use amenities safely and comfortably.

Camden Council also offers free Master Lock Access Keys (MLAK) for this public facility to eligible residents. The MLAK system is an innovative one that enables people with disability to have 24/7 access to accessible public facilities. The MLAK key opens all accessible toilets displaying the MLAK symbol and will allow access to over 350 facilities throughout NSW. Eligible residents can also call council to receive their own personal pin code to access the Changing Places facility via this pin pad.

Curry Reserve Water Play Space is the Camden area’s first accessible water play park, with 36 inclusive play features.

There are also wet wheelchairs available, so residents in wheelchairs can play in, and enjoy, the water elements.

Camden Council has three wet play wheelchairs available for use at Curry Reserve.  There are child and adult size all terrain wheelchairs that were designed by a team of specialist paramedics and tested and approved by people with restricted mobility.

The wet play wheelchairs are free to hire, they provide and improve access to the water play area for children and people living with disability.

Council is excited to be able to offer free hire of Wet Play Wheelchairs, including a small, medium and large chairs to meet the needs of the community.

Curry Reserve also offers accessible BBQ’s for all to cook and enjoy.

Dawson-Damer Park

The newest of our accessible Water Play spaces is Dawson-Damer Park here at Oran Park. It also has a fully accessible and accredited Changes Places public toilet and adult change facility which is wheelchair-accessible and includes a tracking adult hoist system, full-sized adjustable change table, new toilet and shower and change room amenities.

The accreditation of both Curry Reserve and Dawson-Damer Park means the facility is certified to cater for users with high support needs and their carers, where additional space, assistance and specialised equipment are required to allow them to use amenities safely and comfortably.

Council also offers free Master Lock Access Keys (MLAK) and personal pin code to access the Changing Places facility via its pin pad.  It also offers free hire for three wet play wheelchairs to similar to Curry Reserve.

Dawson-Damer Park has some great accessible play equipment to play on, and BBQ’s and picnic tables for all to cook, eat and enjoy!

Disability Inclusion Resource Book Kits

Council has developed Disability Inclusion Resource Kits to raise awareness, understanding and acceptance through books. The Resource Kit initiative uses books as a fun way to introduce the topic and encourages preschools, school groups and community to borrow storytelling books so children can learn more about other children who live with a disability, be supported to identify similarities and that everyone has strengths and needs. Each Resource Kit contains 12 books and a book specific learning guide with suggested questions to ask children, activities to extend your child’s learning about disability/difference/acceptance in their classroom or at home, and a list of websites where they can go for additional information. The kits are free to borrow from Camden, Narellan or Oran Park libraries. 

Café Connect

Council’s Multi Award Winning Café Connect project a offers an engaging café-style environment, where participants have their questions answered and receive information about services, programs and activities. This is done in an innovative way, whilst engaging in creative, social and activities.

People of all abilities are encouraged to participate in this accessible and inclusive environment. It also offers themed Cafés specific to peoples needs which include People living with Dementia and children that have special needs. It provides wrap-around service support, offers pathways to information, delivers activities and workshops and opportunities to connect in the one location.

Communication Access Symbol

Camden Council is very proud to announce that we are the first local government organisation in NSW to be awarded with the Communication Access Symbol and be issued a Communication Access Approved User Licence.

The Communication Access initiative ensures everyone can be understood.  People with communication difficulties experience many communication barriers to fully participating in community life.  People with communication difficulties may communicate using electronic speech devices, word or picture-based communication boards or books, sign language and gestures. Council’s frontline staff at all Libraries and Customer Service locations have completed Communication Access Training and assessments to ensure that we have the skills and resources to support people with communication difficulties to be heard and understood.