Thanks to some clever thinking by Multitask, 19 people with a disability recently got to choose their own adventure – and it was cruising the high seas that captured their imaginations.

Support worker Miranda Cannon said many of the clients had been talking about going on holiday, so together with staff they researched destinations and holidays ideas and voted on where to go.

“This is the first time a holiday of this size and nature has been done. In fact P&O said it’s the largest disability group they have had on the Pacific Dawn cruising out of Brisbane,” Miranda said.

The group of 19, along with a couple of parents and support workers, spent seven days cruising the South Pacific, visiting Noumea, the island of Lifou and Vanuatu.

“It was awesome, it really was,” Miranda said. “We all had such a brilliant time, there were smiles on everyone’s faces. We ate at restaurants each evening and even went out dancing until two in the morning one night!

“Lots of other passengers on the cruise came and talked to us and got really inspired to do something similar with their own relatives or other people they knew who have a disability.”

Miranda said many of the clients had never left the country before.

“Everyone was super exited from about six weeks out when passports started arriving,” she said. ““One man, who hasn’t been in a great way up until now, said it was the most exciting time of his life.”

Miranda said Multitask would love to see trips like this continue.

“Everyone’s still buzzing now – they’re all wearing their Vanuatu shirts into day services,” Miranda laughed. “They’ve all got lots and lots of happy memories.”