Sam Bloom, the two-time World Para Surfing champion and inspiration behind the movie Penguin Bloom, starring Naomi Watts, arrives in Cairns (July 31) with her family for a holiday showcasing inclusive Tropical North Queensland tourism experiences.
Mrs Bloom’s husband Cameron, an award-winning photographer whose work has appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and The New York Times, will document the family’s adventures for their 61,500 @samjbloom followers on Instagram.
Mr Bloom said Skypark Cairns by AJ Hackett would be the first activity with sons Rueben, Noah and Oliver joining their mother on the Giant Swing before the boys try bungy jumping.
“Sam and I have been to Tropical North Queensland numerous times and we are looking forward to exploring the Great Barrier Reef and the world’s largest rainforest with our adult sons this time,” Mr Bloom said.
“The Great Barrier Reef Drive from Cairns to Port Douglas is Sam’s favourite coastal road in Australia and I proposed to Sam on the beach at Cape Tribulation when we were 27, so it is a very special place for us.”
The Bloom family will stay at Palm Cove and Port Douglas to spend time on the beach, explore the boardwalks in Daintree National Park, see crocodiles with Solar Whisper on the Daintree River, and visit the outer Great Barrier Reef with Quicksilver Cruises.
Accessible adventure tourism has been challenging for the family since a fall in 2013 left Mrs Bloom paralysed from the chest down, but she said they had found several adventures in Tropical North Queensland to enjoy together.
“We try to make the most out of any trip by doing things together and are very much looking forward to experiencing some of the activities like exploring the rainforest and floating down a river as a family,” Mrs Bloom said.
“Inclusivity is improving, but there is still a long way to go. I encourage the tourism industry to add images of accessible features to their website and include testimonials to build a connection with the many people living with a disability.”
Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said the Bloom family’s travels would inspire other families to seek experiences that were accessible for the whole family.
“The Tropical North Queensland destination website has an Accessibility Hub to help find suitable accommodation and activities that are inclusive which is a great starting point to researching a holiday,” he said.
“Information and products will continue to be added to this hub as our region’s operators take advantage of the many resources available in the Year of Accessible Tourism to understand what they can do to make their experience more inclusive.”
