Cairns is widely considered to be the tropical capital of Australia. Often called “The Gateway to the Barrier Reef” the area of Far North Queensland boasts flourishing coral reefs, gorgeous islands, lush jungles, and cascading waterfalls. The natural beauty of the region is one of its most prominent features, and the best way to experience it is to indulge in the many wildlife parks, tours, and attractions available.
Locally owned and operated by the Woodward family, the CaPTA (Cairns and Port Trips and Attractions) Group comprises of several wildlife and nature attractions and touring companies: Rainforestation Nature Park Kuranda, Cairns Koalas & Creatures, Wildlife Habitat, Australian Butterfly Sanctuary and Tropic Wings Cairns Tours & Charters. They currently employ over 200 staff across this group of companies and attractions and do a lot for fostering employment within the tourism industry.
Tourism Taster Pilot
Tourism Taster was a 12-month pilot program delivered by EPIC Assist from July 2023 to June 2024, headed by Trudy Nagle from our Cairns team in a dedicated Tourism Taster Coordinator role. The program aimed to connect Cairns tourism businesses to employees with disability. They would work with employers to break down barriers around hiring people with disability and build an accessible and inclusive business.
Trudy had a list of participants and was determined to find them employment opportunities that would suit and fulfill them. Rainforestation has a particular focus on showcasing and celebrating the heritage of Aboriginal people, as well as the natural beauty and vibrant wildlife of Cairns. And when she saw a role advertised for Indigenous dancers at CaPTA Group’s Rainforestation Nature Park, she immediately knew of two men who would be perfect for the part.
They had grown up dancing with their families, performed across the country, and had a stage presence that pulled you in. Despite this, she knew the pitch would be a challenge. See, Leslie and Nathaniel are deaf.
“I knew they could feel the beat and had performed before, but it had all been volunteer work,” said Trudy.
Chasing passion at Rainforestion
Since starting with Rainforestation, Joel from CaPTA Group couldn’t be happier with their performance and team fit. As Joel explained to us, CaPTA Group is first and foremost an equal opportunity employer and working alongside Trudy and Tourism Taster was a great way of showcasing that.
“They are incredible, absolutely amazing guys. Trudy showed us a video in the beginning of the two boys dancing, and we were blown away. You would never know that they couldn’t hear any sound around them at all.
“But what really brought us on board with giving them a go was meeting them for the first time. The raw enthusiasm that they showed was just infectious, I’d never seen anything like it. Definitely not something you’d get from the everyday worker!” said Joel with a grin.
Joel went on to gush about the positive effect on Rainforestation that Nathaniel and Leslie had brought with them once they came on board. The energetic passion they bring to the dance has inspired and brought up the morale of the other Pamagirri dancers, resulting in their performances being livelier than ever.
“It’s just a constant reminder that, you know, anything’s possible,” said Joel simply.
Joel from CaPTA shares his new perspective
Recognising their talent and passion for their craft, CaPTA Group took every reasonable adjustment in stride to ensure that Nathaniel and Leslie could feel safe and supported at Rainforestation.
While the communication barrier did initially pose a challenge for Joel, he explained that persistently working to foster a healthy back and forth with the men has more than paid off in the long run.
“We make it work. We adapt. That’s part of our job as an employer, and now that we have, I can tell you that Nathaniel and Leslie are not just great workers but very honest and charming guys,” Joel explained.
Joel went on to say that the whole experience had brought him to a sort of realisation about how most people view disability is flawed. Using Nathaniel and Leslie as an example, Joel theorised that perhaps thanks to their disability providing a higher difficulty curve when it comes to dancing, the two are far more skilled dancers as a result – needing to put much more focus into their craft without relying on sound cues.
Final words from Trudy
For Trudy, Nathaniel and Leslie were the first of many more success stories to come from the Tourism Taster pilot. She couldn’t be prouder of how well they fit into the Rainforestation workplace.
“They’ve both really come out of their shell. They’re always smiling, wanting to communicate, and trying to get their photos taken. They were even keen to have me participate in one of their traditional dances with them. I was honoured!” Trudy said with a laugh.
Trudy went on to explain that Nathaniel and Leslie’s roaring success at Rainforestation shows the need for employers to think outside the box and rethink the typical way they go about recruiting new employees.
“Those two are paving the way for more paid employment for people who are d/Deaf, and having a great time doing it!” Trudy explained earnestly.
Thanks to the support of the CaPTA Group, Tourism Taster, and Trudy from EPIC, Nathaniel and Leslie have been able to take their passion and talent to the stage at Rainforestation.
If you, like Nathaniel and Leslie, are living with a disability, injury, health condition, or mental health condition and looking to find meaningful employment, contact EPIC Assist today.
