Episode 4 - Visibility on the Trails: Fran's Hidden Disability and the Impact Hiking Can Have on the Trails

In this powerful episode of Trail Tales WA, we sit down with Fran — a legally blind hiker with an incredible story of courage, resilience, and connection to nature. Together, we open up an important conversation around hidden disabilities and what it means to navigate the world, and the trails, in ways many of us might never consider.

Fran shares how hiking became both a challenge and a gift — a place where obstacles are real but so too are the rewards of determination, independence, and the support of community. She reflects on the ways nature provides freedom, grounding, and a sense of equality that can sometimes be missing in everyday life.

This episode is about shifting perspectives, uncovering the strength in vulnerability, and recognising the invisible barriers people face — while celebrating the boundless spirit that pushes through them.

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Find yourself a trail to hike in WA - TrailsWA.com.au

Hosted by Tracy Jones.

Produced by Cindy Jones.

Music by Andrii Poradovskyi from Pixabay.

Transcript

Trail Tales Episode 4
[00:00:00] Tracy: Trail Tales WA acknowledges the Whadjuk people of the
Noongar nation as traditional custodians of the land on which this podcast is
recorded, we recognize their deep and continuing connection to land, waters,
sky, and community. We pay our respects to the elders past and present, and we
extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening
today, we are grateful to share stories from the trails on this beautiful country
where we walk, reflect, and connect with nature.
[00:00:27]Tracy: From here on Whadjuk Noongar land, and wherever you are
tuning in, we honour the enduring strength, culture, and care of First Nations
people across Australia. Welcome to Trail Tales WA, the podcast where we
break down barriers and share the stories we hear on the trails. I'm your host,
Tracy Jones, and I'm thrilled to be sharing this next journey with you.
[00:00:47] Tracy: In this powerful episode of Trail Tales WA, we sit down
with Fran, a legally blind hiker with an incredible story of courage, resilience,
and connection to nature. Together we open up an important [00:01:00]
conversation around hidden disabilities and what it means to navigate the world
and the trails in ways many of us might never consider. Fran shares how hiking
became both a challenge and a gift, a place where obstacles are real, but so to
other rewards of determination, independence, and the support of community.
she reflects on the ways nature provides freedom, grounding, and a sense of
equality that can sometimes be missing in everyday life.
[00:01:24]Tracy: This episode is about shifting perspectives, uncovering the
strength in vulnerability, and recognizing the invisible barriers people face.
While celebrating the boundless spirit that pushes through them. So let's get into
it.
[00:01:35]Tracy: Hey Fran, thanks so much for joining us today to share your
story and shine a light on hidden disabilities.
[00:01:41] Fran: Good afternoon, Tracy. How are you doing?
[00:01:43] Tracy: I'm pretty good. And you came along to our WonderFest
hike in Mundaring today at Lake Leschenaultia. How did you find that?
[00:01:50] Fran: It was absolutely fantastic. It was a really nice, just kind of
meander around the lake, how beautiful it was. We saw some beautiful flowers
as well.
[00:01:58] Tracy: The wild flowers are just popping with [00:02:00] color
everywhere at the moment.
[00:02:00] Fran: We did.
[00:02:01] Tracy: It's really, really beautiful
[00:02:02] Fran: and had some beautiful food.
[00:02:03] Tracy: Oh my gosh. The food so good.
[00:02:05] Fran: The food was excellent.
[00:02:06]Tracy: Yeah, a hundred percent. So let's kick off, Can. I'd love to do
a bit of a deep dive into your story. If you could just inter introduce yourself and
tell us a little bit about you and who is Fran?
[00:02:17] Fran:Who is Fran? That's the the million dollar question. I moved
to Australia about 20 years ago with my then husband and yeah, we originally
moved to Queensland and then came to Perth in about 2007 when I had my first
daughter. So, but I've always been a really keen hiker. When I was in the high
school, we did something called the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
[00:02:37] Tracy: Mm-hmm.
[00:02:37] Fran: Dunno if you're familiar with them.
[00:02:38] Tracy: Yeah, absolutely.
[00:02:39] Fran: Do they have 'em here?
[00:02:40] Tracy: They do, yeah. We ran a Duke of Ed hike last year.
[00:02:42] Fran: Oh really?
[00:02:43] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:02:43] Fran: I did not know this.
[00:02:44] Tracy: There you go.
[00:02:44] Fran: Um, so yeah, so I did my bronze and silver when I was at high
school, so that kind of got me into hiking a little bit.
[00:02:49] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:02:50] Fran: Um, but I'm really fortunate where I'm, um, from in, uh,
Somerset, we've got two national parks, so one being the Quantock Hills and the other one being Exmooor National Park.
[00:02:58] Tracy: Mm-hmm.
[00:02:58] Fran: So I did a lot of my Duke of Edinburgh Heights [00:03:00]
around Exmoor National Park, which if you've ever been. I highly recommend
it's the most beautiful place in the world.
[00:03:05] Tracy: Wow.
[00:03:06] Fran: It's absolutely incredible. It has my heart.
[00:03:09] Tracy: Aw.
[00:03:09] Fran: So, um, yeah, so I'm really into, I was really into hiking from
quite a young age and yeah. And then I came here and discovered hiking in
Perth.
[00:03:18]Tracy: Amazing. Awesome. And you live with a vision impairment,
which is, which is often considered a hidden disability. So how would you say
this vision impairment affects your experience both in everyday life and also
when you're out on the trails?
[00:03:32] Fran: Yeah, so I was born with what's called optic nerve damage.
So, uh, it's kind of the messages that I've sent from the eyes of the brain. Uh,
hence why it can't be corrected with glasses. It's a little bit worse in my left eye
than my right. We didn't actually discover it until I was probably. Quite young,
maybe seven or eight.
[00:03:48] Tracy: Oh wow.
[00:03:49] Fran: Um, just randomly one day we were at the opticians and the,
uh, opticians asked me to read the, you know, the old school letters you had on
the wall and I couldn't read them.
[00:03:57] Fran: So then they were doing some [00:04:00] investigation and,
you know, over the years it came to the conclusion that I had this optic nerve
damage and it's, it, it kind of, it didn't really, um, affect me when I was younger
'cause I didn't realize it was any difference. But as I got older in high. School, it
was quite problematic.
[00:04:13] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:04:14] Fran:With not being able to, you know, see class boards and that
kind of thing and, and not being able to drive. I can't drive 'cause of my vision,
which is, which has been a bit of an issue throughout my life.
[00:04:23] Tracy: Absolutely.
[00:04:24] Fran: It can be a challenge at times, but I've always been really
supported by, uh, you know, people around me.
[00:04:29] Fran: So that's been good my everyday life. It is, it does affect it. In
some ways, but, so like for work example, I work in a, in an office environment,
I have quite big screens. I have a large print keyboard. And it, not being able to
drive is probably one of the biggest things that affects my life. But obviously
I've got, uh, my partner who helps me.
[00:04:48] Fran: And so yeah, everyday life can be a bit of a challenge at
times, but I'm so used to it. I don't really know what life is like without
[00:04:56] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:04:56] Fran: a vision impairment on the trails. Uh, it can be quite
interesting [00:05:00] at times. Like my vision, I do have a fair bit of vision.
When we look at blindness, we have to look at it as a scale.
[00:05:06] Fran:Like most things in life, it's on a bit of a spectrum. So I would
be probably more of the mild end of the, the legally blind section.
[00:05:14] Tracy: Yep.
[00:05:14] Fran: Um, I have quite a bit of vision. I can see colors, so out on
the, out on the track, I, I can see what's going on. However, my life is quite
blurry, so I guess someone who had vision, if they, uh, shortsightedness, if they
take, take their glasses off and their, their eyes are quite blurry.
[00:05:32] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:05:32] Fran: That's kind of what I live with, so that's the best way I can
explain my vision to people. It's quite blurry. So out on the track is quite
interesting. At the minute I'm doing a hike fit with, uh, you guys.
[00:05:44] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:05:45] Fran: Which we do quite start. It's obviously
[00:05:47] Tracy: it's nighttime.
[00:05:48] Fran: Yeah, absolutely. So we've got very bright head torches, but
the wonderful guides, like, uh, on Thursday I had Judy, who was very, very
helpful to me.
[00:05:58] Fran: She was walking in front of me [00:06:00] and told me where
every bump and, uh, stone and rock and bit of twig was. And that is absolutely
amazing 'cause it's really helpful to me that, um, someone has got my back
when I'm walking.
[00:06:12]Tracy: Yeah. Amazing. That's so good. And I guess that's part of
that community of hikers and people around you just, you know, lending a hand
and being supportive.
[00:06:20] Fran: A hundred percent. A hundred percent. That's exactly it. It's,
it's a really lovely community that Off The Beaten Track offers, particularly
with the hike fits as well that. We are a wonderful community, and I, when I
started Hike Fit a few weeks ago, I actually told the group we were introducing
ourselves and I told the group that, you know, I'm legally blind.
[00:06:38] Fran: If anyone sees anything, can you please let me know that I
might trip over? And everyone was very helpful and, and, um, it's a, it is a
beautiful, uh, community to be a part of.
[00:06:46]Tracy: Yeah, we definitely do attract some pretty amazing people,
which
[00:06:49] Fran: We certainly do.
[00:06:50]Tracy: We're very lucky. And you did Hike Ability last year for a
few hikes with us as well. How did you find that?
[00:06:55] Fran: Oh, brilliant. I did Hike Ability with Sarah. I think I did one
or two with you. [00:07:00]
[00:07:00] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:07:00] Fran: As well, didn't I? Yeah. Uh, brilliant. It's, it's really, I really
like Hike Ability because it, it does give you the opportunity to have a one-onone hike with full, like, attention on oneself, so you can kind of navigate the
path with me, you know?
[00:07:13] Fran: And it gives you resilience, I guess, to be able to do that hike
and have the ability to do the hike when you don't think you can do it.
[00:07:21] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:07:21] Fran: You know, hike, although I've always hiked, I've always
hiked with other people. It's not something I, you know, I wanna do on my own
necessarily. Yeah. So Hike Ability allows me to get out on the track and really
enjoy the outdoors, uh, and feel independent and gain some independence.
[00:07:36] Fran: Really, it's nice to be able to kind of, although I'm with a
guide, it's nice to be able to kind of do an activity that I never thought I'd be able
to do really, particularly with, you know, vision impairment. It's a, it's great to
be out in the open and, um, have you guys, uh, kind of walk with me and, and
it's been fantastic.
[00:07:53] Tracy: Oh, that's awesome. And I think building independence is
something that's important to anyone and everyone, but having a disability, even
more so. [00:08:00] It's probably very powerful for you.
[00:08:02] Fran: Yeah, it's really powerful. It's, it's a really powerful thing to be
able to find something that you can actually do and enjoy.
[00:08:10] Fran:I think that hiking is one of those things that I can actually do.
Um, there's lots of things that I can't do for various reasons of my vision, but
hiking is one that I can do. Although I, like I said earlier, I can't really do it on
my own, but you, I don't find that hiking for me wouldn't be that enjoyable on
my own.
[00:08:26] Fran: I'd want to do it with a community anyway. So, yeah, the
doing the hike ability and being part of, uh, Off The Beaten Track has given me
the ability to get out there and be able to do hard things because, you know,
being visually impaired, there's lots of things that are hard things and, and
hiking is one of them.
[00:08:43] Fran: But I can do them. I realize that I can do hiking even with a
vision impairment,
[00:08:47] Tracy: and you do it very, very well.
[00:08:49] Fran: Thank you.
[00:08:50] Tracy: We did, I think I, the first time I met you was on an
overnight hike to Mount Cooke.
[00:08:53] Fran: It was an overnight hike to Mount Cook. Yes.
[00:08:56] Tracy: Many years ago now.
[00:08:57] Fran: Yeah. That was one of the, one of the first hikes I did with
you [00:09:00] guys, I think.
[00:09:00] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:09:00] Fran: Yeah. That was very cool. It was really hard. That was a
tough hike. I remember when we were walking back, it was just rained
constantly.
[00:09:08]Tracy:It did. We were very, very wet, uh, by the time we got back
to our cars.
[00:09:11] Fran: Yeah.
[00:09:11] Tracy: But I think our hearts were very full.
[00:09:13] Fran: Our hearts will full. That was a really good hike.
[00:09:16] Tracy: And do sometimes people underestimate or overlook the
challenge that you face because your disability isn't visible.
[00:09:23] Fran: A hundred percent. If I had a quid for every time someone
went to me, do you need glasses? I'd be a very, very rich woman.
[00:09:31] Tracy: Oh yeah.
[00:09:31] Fran:I would be. It's um, only the other day I had a Uber driver say
to me, do you need glasses? I was looking at my phone and I was like, actually,
I'm legally blind and I have this all the time.
[00:09:42] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:09:42] Fran: You know, it's hard having a hidden disability and having to.
People looking at you a bit funny because, you know, you've got, I've got my
phone in front of my face 'cause I have to, I can't see it. Otherwise, you kind of
want a, a sign sometimes. That says, I'm, I'm legally blind.
[00:09:59] Tracy: Yeah. Not stupid.
[00:10:00] Fran: Like, I'm not stupid. I don't need glasses.
[00:10:03]Tracy:Can you share a time when you had to advocate for yourself
or ask for help while hiking?
[00:10:07] Fran: Oh, well, Thursday's Hike Fit is a perfect example.
[00:10:10] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:10:10] Fran: Uh, I was, I hadn't met Judy before. She was new to the, um,
she Tail End Charlie.
[00:10:15] Tracy: Yep.
[00:10:15] Fran: And we were, uh, having a walk. We were walking along and
exchanging conversations and I'd mentioned to her that I was legally blind.
[00:10:22] Fran: She said, oh, uh, is there any way I can help you? And I was
like, yes. You can, once it starts getting dark, I, I will need you to walk in front
of me and call out any kind of hazards that are coming along the way. And she
was absolutely brilliant at it. So I think those kind of things I have to kind of. Be
confident in telling people what I need from them because otherwise people
make assumptions.
[00:10:44] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:10:44] Fran:Either I don't need any help 'cause I'm perfectly, I'm on this
hike. I'm sure I can see I'm,
[00:10:49] Tracy: yeah.
[00:10:49] Fran:Everything's fine. You know, so I have to advocate for myself
and go tell them what exactly what I want. But it's, it's taken me a lot long time
to be able to do that. It's, it's, it's hard at times to be able [00:11:00] to ask
people for help.
[00:11:01] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:11:02] Fran: It's not something that I, uh, easily did when I was a lot
younger,
[00:11:05]Tracy: and I guess different scenarios make it easier and harder for
you to ask for help. So maybe not in general public situations, it might be
harder, but in those communities that you've built trust in, maybe the, obviously
the home. The workplace and then groups like ours, it's probably a lot easier for
you to now ask
[00:11:22] Tracy: for help.
[00:11:22] Fran: A hundred percent. It's a lot easier for me to ask for help and
particularly because I guess so many people are more aware these days of
hidden disabilities. You know, I think that there's a, there's a conscious effort in
the world these days of people who have got hidden disabilities, autism or
deafness or blindness, that people are a little bit more aware of it.
[00:11:40] Tracy: Mm-hmm.
[00:11:40] Fran: So I think when you talk to people nowadays, they're like, oh
yeah, what can I do to help? Whereas, you know, when. Growing up in the
nineties, no one really, disability wasn't really a thing.
[00:11:49]Tracy:Well, disability was almost like a taboo word. Like it was, oh
no, you've got a disability, like, you know, there's something wrong with you.
[00:11:55] Tracy: Whereas now it's
[00:11:56] Fran: Absolutely
[00:11:56]Tracy:in my world, definitely it's a very acceptable thing [00:12:00]
and we embrace it all and we. You know, open our arms to people with
disabilities. 'cause why should they have a different experience than someone
that doesn't have a disability?
[00:12:08] Fran: I completely agree and I think that that is brilliant.
[00:12:10] Fran: Now that we've moved on in a world that, you know, yeah,
absolutely. Everything should be accessible to everybody.
[00:12:15] Tracy: Mm-hmm
[00:12:16] Fran: There's not one thing that shouldn't be not accessible to
anybody. 'cause I think there's potential for everybody to have a go at
everything. You know?
[00:12:22]Tracy: I think in today's world where we live, there's no excuse for
businesses or organizations not to be able to think outside the box a little bit.
[00:12:29] Tracy: And adapt their product or their, their service or their
offering to be able to cater for that wider audience.
[00:12:35] Fran: I completely agree.
[00:12:35] Tracy: Just make the world a more inclusive place.
[00:12:37] Fran: I completely agree. Absolutely.
[00:12:39] Fran: And, and it should be, there's, I think there's still room for
improvement.
[00:12:43] Tracy: Mm-hmm.
[00:12:44] Fran: There's a lot of, you know, people out there doing, trying to
do the right thing, but there's still a lot of people.
[00:12:48] Fran: That need to, there's still room for improvement. Absolutely. I
think with you guys doing the Hike Ability is just fantastic. It means that, you
know, people who have got hidden disabilities or any [00:13:00] disability can
have potential to go out and enjoy. Not just hiking if they're not really into
hiking, but just going out and join nature.
[00:13:06] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:13:07] Fran: Because we know that's so good for our mental health. We
know that's a good way to connect with people. So I think that that is a really
good thing that you guys doing with the Hike Ability. And I think that there are,
you know, uh, places out there. They should be, you know, expanding their full
process on how to help people that with disability.
[00:13:23]Tracy: Uh, I hundred percent agree with you, and I think a lot of the
issue sometimes lies with some organizations is that they. They see the word
accessible and they automatically think wheelchair friendly, whereas accessible
accessibility isn't just wheelchair friendly. They're like we're discussing today.
[00:13:39] Tracy: The hidden disabilities is so broad and huge, and there's
actually only a small portion of people that require that wheelchair friendly
access. Where you can actually change your product or service. So many
different ways to be able to actually make your business more accessible.
[00:13:54] Fran: I completely agree. Perth Museum's a really good example,
but if you go to Perth [00:14:00] Museum, they, when they recently did it all up,
it's really, it's a, they've done a wonderful job, don't get me wrong. When you go
in there, if you've got low vision, it's really hard to see. The Expeditions. The
Expeditions,
[00:14:11] Tracy: Exhibitions.
[00:14:12] Fran: Exhibitions.
[00:14:13] Tracy: Perfect.
[00:14:13] Fran: Um, because it's really low light and all their information's
written on quite small cards,
[00:14:18] Tracy: right?
[00:14:19] Fran:I believe that they actually had a consultation with visibility
before they went live to kind of develop certain things. But it has not been, the
Perth Museum was not consulted enough. With people with varying disabilities
because it is really horrible place if you've got visual impairment to go because
it's so dimly lit and, and everything, it's, it's written so small. I have to go in
with my phone. It's on mag, uh, like a magnifying on my phone.
[00:14:46] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:14:46] Fran: And so I can read the information on the cards because it's just
very poorly written.
[00:14:52] Tracy: Oh, and they have no audio option or anything like that
either?
[00:14:55] Fran: I don't believe there's an audio option.
[00:14:55] Tracy: Oh, wow.
[00:14:56] Fran:There, there might be. I haven't, I haven't actually looked at
that, but yeah.
[00:14:58] Tracy: Okay.
[00:14:59] Fran: Yeah, it's, uh, [00:15:00] it's, it's a perfect example. Was
[00:15:01] Tracy: just something that was overlooked.
[00:15:03] Fran: Absolutely. A hundred percent. But you are right in saying,
you know, a lot of places when they hear disability or accessibility, they
instantly think, oh, we just put a wheelchair ramp in, or something like that.
[00:15:13] Tracy: Yeah. And tick the box.
[00:15:14] Fran: Absolutely. So
[00:15:15] Tracy: Accessibility is not a tick box.
[00:15:16] Fran: No. It's certainly not a tick box. No. And it's not one, one size
fits all.
[00:15:21]Tracy: No, absolutely not. And I think you, that's why you've just
gotta have that flexibility in what you do.
[00:15:26] Fran: Yeah.
[00:15:26]Tracy: So tell me, let's go back to hiking a little bit. How has hiking
impacted your life physically, emotionally, and socially?
[00:15:33] Fran: Physically, it's get getting me out on track and making me fit
with my cardio emotionally, I just. It is something about being on track, being
out in nature, that fills my heart with joy.
[00:15:44] Tracy: Hmm.
[00:15:45] Fran: I think that it reminds me of being a kid again back when I
was at high school. Hiking on
[00:15:50] Tracy: Takes You home,
[00:15:50] Fran: takes me home.
[00:15:51] Fran:It's very similar. Some parts of the, of, uh, Western Australia
are very similar to parts of the UK actually,
[00:15:57] Tracy: I guess the Bracken Ferns probably remind you of the
[00:16:00] UK
[00:16:00] Fran: A little bit. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So I think that my
connection with being out in nature is, is really good. It's also really good for
my mental health.
[00:16:08] Fran:I'm someone who suffers from anxiety and depression. I have
done all my life. And I know being out on track fills my heart and it does make
me feel better.
[00:16:16] Tracy: Mm-hmm.
[00:16:16] Fran: I think just having this morning, for example, just having a
wander around the lake, it just makes me feel so much better within myself just
to have that kind of fresh air and freedom and realize, wow, we do live in a
beautiful place.
[00:16:30] Tracy: Yeah. The power of, of green space. Right?
[00:16:32] Fran: Absolutely.
[00:16:33] Tracy: And socially, how has hiking impacted your life socially?
[00:16:36] Fran: I mean, making friends for, for example, meeting you guys.
Being part of your lives now and making some friends, making Debs and Sarah.
I've made some wonderful friendships within the, uh, hiking community.
[00:16:50] Tracy: The family.
[00:16:51] Fran: The family, yeah. Off. The Off the Beaten Track family,
[00:16:54] Tracy: The fam.
[00:16:54]Tracy: And what does being part of the hiking community mean to
you?
[00:16:58] Fran:It means friendship, [00:17:00] community, and having allies
on your side, I don't think, like, there's no judgment when you go out hiking
with the, with your hiking community. There's no judgment there.
[00:17:10] Tracy: No
[00:17:11] Fran: and I really like that. I think that that is fantastic. Whether you
have a disability, you, you know, wherever you are from, wherever your,
wherever your direction in life is, there's never any judgment. And that's what I
really like
[00:17:25]Tracy: A hundred percent. And that's just, I think that's just all part
of our values as well.
[00:17:28] Fran: Yes.
[00:17:29] Tracy: Yeah. And we attract like-minded people, which is
important.
[00:17:32] Fran: A hundred percent.
[00:17:34] Tracy: So what advice would you give to someone living with a
hidden disability who's nervous about stepping out onto the trails?
[00:17:39] Fran:I think just give it a try. I think you, you'd be surprised about
if you've got the right support with you, how you can actually manage to do it.
[00:17:48] Fran: Obviously, you know, there's certain, certain people with, uh,
certain levels of vision, it probably isn't for them.
[00:17:55] Tracy: Mm-hmm.
[00:17:55] Fran: I'm not suggesting that, you know, everyone does it. But I
think that if you've got some, [00:18:00] a level of vision, I think that actually
getting out in nature. Being involved in a community group, like Off the Beaten
Track, and knowing that there's gonna be support with you a hundred percent
every step of the way, it's worth a go.
[00:18:13] Tracy: A hundred percent.
[00:18:14] Fran: Yeah. It really is.
[00:18:16] Tracy: Life changing, you might say.
[00:18:18] Fran: Yeah. It absolutely could it Absolutely. Life changing. And,
and I, I know we joke about that, but actually that's a really interesting point that
it can, it can be life changing because people don't realize their, their abilities.
[00:18:32] Tracy: Mm-hmm.
[00:18:33] Fran: And we ha we should be trying hard things. We should be
trying things to test us. I try and I have to do hard things all the time and you
know, we, I think that we, we are too comfortable in, you know, being at home,
sitting on the sofa that we, we, and we're too scared probably to go and try
something hard on you or something like that. Particularly with when someone's
got a disability.
[00:18:54] Tracy: Yeah.
[00:18:55] Fran: But I think if you just open your heart a little bit and reach
out, [00:19:00] we can, you know, you can be part of a community that can
support you to be able to walk along the track.
[00:19:06]Tracy: A hundred percent. I completely agree with you. So what's
one message that you would like our listeners to take away about hidden
disabilities and the outdoors?
[00:19:14] Fran:That you can do it. The hidden disabilities, it doesn't matter
what what you've got, you can go and do it. Get out on the track. Be brave, be
bold and say yes to.
[00:19:27] Tracy: Oh, I love that.
[00:19:27] Fran: Doing hard things.
[00:19:28] Tracy: Yes. The reward is so good, isn't it?
[00:19:30] Fran:The reward is so good and you will be supported. You know,
have a look at doing Hike Ability because it is so rewarding and I think you're
gonna love it.
[00:19:39] Tracy: Amazing. Thank you so much, Fran.
[00:19:40] Fran: No worries.
[00:19:41] Tracy: Do you have anything else to add?
[00:19:42] Fran: I don't.
[00:19:43]Tracy: Okay. Fran, thank you so much for sharing your story with
us and your take on hidden disabilities. I've really loved this, this chat with you
this afternoon. Your story is definitely a powerful reminder that nature is for
everybody.
[00:19:56] Tracy: If you're listening and feeling inspired, check out OTBT's
range of hiking [00:20:00] tours on our website or find yourself a trail on
trailswa.com.au and let nature soothe your soul to be sure to follow Trail Tales
WA for more stories, just like Fran's. And we'll be back soon with another trail
tale. But until then, keep walking, keep talking, and remember, accessibility
isn't an add-on, it's a right.