Clare and Mabel

Today I did a photoshoot for the City of Greater Bendigo’s GB Magazine, showcasing the new artwork in Pennyweight Lane.

There was just one small problem…

They chose a blind person to showcase the art. 🤣😂

I got there early and tried to make out the artwork, but I really couldn’t.

So while Mabel walked me down the laneway, I filmed it on my phone.

And suddenly… I could see it.

When everyone arrived, I pointed out the slight irony of having the blind girl there to look at the art. 😂

Then I showed them my footage and explained that through my phone, I could actually see and enjoy it.

There was a brief moment of, ohhhh… we didn’t think of that. 😆

And then someone said…

Hang on. Maybe this is the story.

And I think they might be right.

I couldn’t experience the artwork the way most people could.

But I could still experience it.

Just differently. ❤️

Image/video description:
Slide 1: Clare stands in Pennyweight Lane with Mabel, her yellow Labrador Seeing Eye Dog in harness, and the City of Greater Bendigo’s Community Inclusion Officer – Access and Inclusion. A photographer is taking their photo in front of the colourful new artwork. Text reads, “Blind girl… apparently here to look at the art 😆🤣”

Slide 2: A comparison showing the colourful artwork as most people see it, beside the same image blacked out except for a very small circular area representing Clare’s approximately 5% tunnel vision.

Slide 3: Video filmed on Clare’s phone while Mabel guides her along Pennyweight Lane, allowing Clare to see the artwork on her phone screen. Text reads, “Turns out… I could see it through my phone 😆”

Slide 4: Clare and Mabel walk through Pennyweight Lane alongside the Community Inclusion Officer, surrounded by the colourful new artwork.

Today I got a sneak peek at the redevelopment of Red Energy Arena Bendigo , representing DIRC (disability inclusion reference committee )and the City of Greater Bendigo as a disability advocate.

And I have to say, there was a lot to be impressed by.

A Changing Places facility for people with higher support needs, including a hoist and change table. Accessible toilets. Wide corridors. Electric doors. Good contrast. And in the areas we toured, I didn’t encounter a single step.

But the whole point of having people with lived experience in the room is that we all notice different things.

For me, one was the tactiles. There are warning bumps at the pedestrian crossing outside, but no directional tactile bars to help a blind person find their way towards the main entrance.

I also asked about sanitary disposal bins in the men’s toilets — something that doesn’t affect me personally, but is important for men who need them. It hadn’t been considered, but it’s now on the agenda. Such a simple fix.

That’s what I really liked about today.

It wasn’t about finding fault. It was about looking at what’s been done well, asking questions, noticing what might have been missed and having those conversations while there’s still an opportunity to make things better.

Because accessibility isn’t about one disability.

And sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest difference to whether someone can actually use a space independently.

This is why lived experience belongs in the conversation. ❤️

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The side eye I got when I left Mabel at the front door while I ran back in to get my phone. 😆😂

Harness on. Ready to work. Ready to go.

Apparently “I forgot my phone” was not an acceptable reason for delaying our walk.

She was ready.
I was not.
And she wanted me to know it. 🙄🐾😂

Image description: A view down my hallway towards the open front door. Mabel, my yellow Labrador Seeing Eye Dog, is standing outside in her harness, peering back through the doorway at me with a very unimpressed expression while she waits for me to come back outside.

Quick trip to Lennox Head. 🌊

Mabel LOVES the beach.

And so do I.

There’s something ridiculously freeing about walking along the sand knowing I’m not going to trip over a gutter, a step, a chair, a bloody e-scooter… 😆

No Mabel guiding me.
No cane.
Her harness is over my shoulder like a handbag, and she’s off being a Labrador. 😂

Just me walking.

Meanwhile Mabel is off duty, living her best Labrador life. ❤️🐾

Image description: Three photos from a sunny day at Lennox Head beach. In the first, I’m standing on the sand in jeans, a black top and cap, with Mabel’s Seeing Eye Dog harness slung over my shoulder while the ocean rolls in behind me. In the second, Mabel is walking through the shallow water, with her reflection beautifully mirrored in the wet sand. In the third, she’s further along the beach with her nose buried in the sand, happily exploring while off duty.

Nailed Sydney. 😎

Did all the fancy stuff…

Then spent the entire day with my shirt inside out. 😆😂

My therapist nearly wet her pants when I told her.

Blind people… if you know, you know. 😂

Image description: Clare smiling at a waterfront restaurant in Sydney with Mabel beside her. She’s wearing a white shirt that, as she discovered much later, was inside out. 😆

Sydney mission accomplished… well, mostly. 😆

I found the Sydney Harbour Bridge. ✅
I found the perfect little spot for coffee. ✅
Had a beautiful lunch with a view. ✅
And Mabel scored herself a new toy from the Four Seasons. ✅

The Sydney Opera House? ❌😂

I was actually so close, but I got to the point where I was worried I might get myself lost, so I made the decision to stop looking and find somewhere lovely for a coffee instead.

And you know what? It didn’t ruin my day.

Sometimes independence isn’t about proving you can do absolutely everything you set out to do. Sometimes it’s knowing when you’ve done enough, changing the plan and still having a bloody good day.

And apparently Mabel wasn’t leaving Sydney empty-handed either.

When I was packing to come home, I opened my suitcase and found her new hotel toy tucked inside. 😂

For a moment I genuinely thought she’d somehow packed it herself.

Turns out Hubby put it there.

Slightly disappointing, because I was quite prepared to believe my Seeing Eye Dog had added packing her own souvenirs to her skill set. 😆😂

Sydney, I’d call that a win. ✅

Mabel and I head to Sydney ❤️

I didn’t really have to make this trip, but I wanted to.

There’s always a bit of anxiety travelling somewhere unfamiliar when you’re blind, but I also know that the more I keep doing it, the more confident I feel that I still can.

And then there’s this girl, Mabel❤️

I only had to show Mabel our hotel room once.

The next day, I got us to the right floor, gave her the command “find the room”… and she did the rest.

I bloody love this dog. ❤️

Anyway, Sydney… we’ve arrived.

More stories to come. 😆

Image/video description: First photo shows Clare in a bright red coat walking through Sydney Airport with Mabel working beside her in harness. The video shows Mabel walking along a hotel corridor as Clare gives her the command, “find the room.” Mabel stops at the correct hotel room door and Clare praises her for finding it.

One of the little perks of travelling with me…

Mabel gets pretty excited when the snacks arrive. 🥕

Today’s in-flight menu included carrot sticks, and I’m pretty sure she thought Qantas had catered especially for her.

She was right about one thing… the carrot was definitely hers. ❤️

Image description:
Photo 1: An airline snack tray with crackers, dip and carrot sticks, alongside a cup of Chardonnay and sparkling water.

Photo 2: Mabel, a yellow Labrador Seeing Eye Dog, lies in the footwell of the plane while gently taking a carrot stick from a hand. She looks very pleased with her share of the in-flight snacks. 🥕🐾

Three days.

That’s all it took to remind me how quickly life can change.

On Tuesday I had surgery to remove the plates from my foot. Yesterday I could barely walk.

Today?

I’m walking pain-free.

For the first time since I broke my foot months ago.

I know there’s still healing to do, but walking down my hallway today felt like getting a little piece of my freedom back.

Sometimes progress doesn’t happen in tiny, barely noticeable steps.

Sometimes you wake up, take a walk down the hallway… and realise everything has changed.

Amazing what a difference one day can make. ❤️

assistanceDog workingDog labrador disability

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Video description

A short video filmed from the end of a long hallway inside a home. Clare walks steadily towards the camera wearing a dark long-sleeved top, black pants and black sneakers. The hallway has white walls, timber floors and a long dark runner rug. She walks comfortably and confidently, smiling slightly as she reaches the camera. Just three days after surgery to remove the plates from her foot, these are her first pain-free steps since breaking it months ago.

Today I drove a car around Sandown Raceway.

I did this last year, so I thought I knew what to expect.

What I hadn’t taken into account was that my eyesight has deteriorated since then.

I now have around 5% central vision, and the glare on the track made it even harder. I was equal parts terrified and exhilarated. There were moments when I was relying more on my instructor’s calm voice than on what I could actually see.

The second photo shows what my Ray-Ban Meta glasses captured. The third image is a representation of what I actually see with retinitis pigmentosa. It gives a much better idea of the tiny amount of vision I use to navigate the world.

Despite all that, I absolutely loved it.

My instructor was amazing—calm, kind and incredibly patient—gently talking me through around ten laps of the track. His confidence helped me find mine.

I may have less vision than I did last year, but I haven’t lost my willingness to give things a go.

A huge thank you to Vision Australia, the Lions Club, and all the wonderful volunteers for making days like this possible. The volunteers I met were just as excited as I was, and that made the whole experience feel even more special. Events like this aren’t just about driving a car—they’re about confidence, inclusion and reminding people who are blind or have low vision that there are still amazing opportunities waiting for us.



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