News

Have A Right Royal Read with These Books from the Library

From everyone’s favourite Queen to scandal behind the thrones, they’ll be something to suit every noble taste.

Take the International Youth Survey

Are you 18-30 years old and have thoughts about how your visual impairment impacts your future? We want to hear from you!

The reviews are in! Surfing in the Dark makes waves

The first of a series of books created by Vision Australia has hit the shelves, and the reviews are great.

Inclusive bookshelves championed at Vision Australia’s children’s...

Blind pro-surfer Matt Formston stepped of his surfboard and onto a Melbourne stage to launch the first book in a series championing underrepresented role models with blindness and low vision.  Surfing in the Dark is a children’s book integrated with braille that has been created and published by Vision Australia and Berbay Publishing, and was officially launched at the Melbourne Museum on Thursday.  The book is designed to inspire a more inclusive Australia, and introduce children to underrepresented role models with vision loss.   As the protagonist of the first Big Visions book, Matt talked about tackling 55-foot big waves and overcoming obstacles.   For the most part, those obstacles were placed in front of him by people assuming he had no prospects as someone with blindness.  “The world has told me and my family you can’t, you shouldn’t, because you have a disability it’s not an option for you,” he told the crowd.   “But my life experience has been that I can.”  Matt was interviewed by 11-year-old Ethan Bradley, who has vision loss himself and has aspirations of a long career as a lawyer.   Ethan stole the show by asking some tough questions to the fearless surfer, who said it was the best interview he had all year.   Vision Australia CEO Ron Hooton spoke about the importance of creating books that everyone can read.   “Having braille in the books directly gives blind and low vision children a chance to read along with their sighted peers,” he said.    Mr Hooton also highlighted the need for Australians to become allies to children with vision loss and open doors when they reach adulthood, not close them as they try and enter the workforce.   “We’d love for all of Australia to join Vision Australia in empowering children with blindness or low vision to dream bigger for their future because Australia’s willingness to give these children a go, to open doors when they come knocking is essential in helping them make those dreams a reality,” he said.   Ethan wowed the audience by reading an excerpt of Surfing in the Dark with the help of his electronic magnifier, showing another way those with vision loss keep up with their sighted peers.  The book is currently available at all good book stores including Readings, Target, Big W, Amazon and available for online purchase at the Vision Australia store.  We want parents, grandparents and teachers to think about how their bookshelves help to make a kinder more accepting, more resilient Australia. We need to know that books have power,    Read It To Believe It! 

Making your home accessible: The bathroom

Living at home

Living with blindness or low vision doesn’t have to be a barrier to people living independently at home. While there can be some challenges, there are a number of strategies and techniques that can help make the home accessible and safe.

This week on Talking Vision: 100 years of blind cricket

Vision Australia Radio

Talking Vision is Vision Australia Radio’s flagship program, discussing the latest news and issues from a blindness and low vision perspective. Sam has the great pleasure to be joined by Doug Sloan OAM, a blind cricket player, volunteer and administrator with five decades of involvement with blind sport.

Award winning books in the Vision Australia Library

Library

A list of winners and shortlisted books from the recent Australian Indie Book Awards.

Vision Australia makes noise on EVs

News

Vision Australia’s campaign to mandate the use of Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems in electric vehicles has today been elevated to a national discussion with the signing of a draft Regulation Impact Statement calling for public consultation and feedback.

This week on Talking Vision: Surfing in the Dark with Matt and Lo...

Vision Australia Radio

Talking Vision is Vision Australia Radio’s flagship program, discussing the latest news and issues from a blindness and low vision perspective. This week marks the official launch of the first of three books in the Big Visions series, Surfing in the Dark, featuring blind surfer, Paralympian, businessman and father Matt Formston.