GBEA winner – Inclusive & Accessible Business Award – The Q Train

The team behind the Bellarine Peninsula’s acclaimed restaurant, The Q Train, is driven by a passion to create a premier dining experience that is accessible to as many people as possible.

Travelling between Drysdale and Queenscliff in restored Queensland Sunlander train carriages, The Q Train offers its patrons a three-hour fine dining experience complete with a five-course seasonal menu, comprised of locally sourced produce, and stunning views of Swan Bay.

The business’s approach to inclusion is continually evolving, with several wide-ranging initiatives and measures already in place, including audio guides for patrons who are hard of vision and communication boards to assist customers who struggle with verbal communication.

The Q Train has also developed a “social story” guide to assist people who may be on the autism spectrum or have sensory processing difficulties to understand what to expect during the dining experience and help alleviate anxiety.

The team’s efforts have now earned The Q Train the Inclusive & Accessible Business Award, sponsored by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC).

It’s an award that celebrates businesses that demonstrate a high level of understanding about inclusive and accessible workplace practices.

The Q Train was also a finalist in this year’s hospitality and tourism award category.

Judge David Petherick praised The Q Train’s careful and thorough approach to addressing issues relating to access and inclusion for both its staff and its customers.

“Their access and inclusion strategy considers a range of barriers and they have implemented strategies to overcome these barriers, including Auslan training for staff so they can communicate with deaf or hearing-impaired customers in sign language [and] a braille menu for blind or vision impaired customers,” Mr Petherick said.

“They have also created wheelchair access in a very difficult environment, that is, on an old train not designed for wheelchair access.”

Mr Petherick also celebrated The Q Train’s specially designed mobility map, which aims to assist customers to navigate their environment during the dining experience, and the considerations the business has made to support customers who might have anxiety issues or those who are neurodivergent and may experience difficulty with sensory processing.

One of The Q Train’s more recent adoptions is the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, which allows staff to voluntarily share if they have a hidden or invisible disability by displaying a green sunflower lanyard or pin.

“They employ a staff member who has a learning disability and to support her and to educate customers, they have adopted the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program so that this staff member is not subject to discrimination or abuse because of her hidden disability,” Mr Petherick said.

“If that is not enough, they have also worked to be inclusive of First Nations people and employ an Indigenous apprentice chef, and they openly market to the LGBTIQ+ community and culturally and linguistically diverse communities and work diligently to ensure they are inclusive in their approach to all.”

To find out more, head to theqtrain.com.au

Sponsored by The Transport Accident Commission (TAC).

The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) is a Victorian government-owned organisation and a prominent employer in the Geelong region.

It is dedicated to making a positive impact on the communities where its staff reside and operate and is this year’s sponsor of the Inclusive & Accessible Business Award.

With a mission to champion road safety and help those injured get their lives back on track, the TAC extends critical financial support to individuals injured in transport accidents.

The organisation also plays a key role in educating the community about road safety and enhancing Victoria’s road network.

Embedded within the TAC’s ethos are core values that shape its actions and influence its approach: a deep reverence for life, a desire to make every conversation count and dedication to simplifying complexities.

These values underscore the TAC and guide the support it offers.

The organisation is proud to support the Geelong Business Excellence Awards in spotlighting businesses that demonstrate exemplary inclusion and accessibility practices.

TAC