We recently sat down with Nathan Tessman - better known as MC Wheels - to find out what he loves most about the Sunshine Coast, from favourite festivals to accessible attractions. Nathan lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy with Respiratory Distress Type 1 (SMARD 1), affecting his ability to perform everyday actions we take for granted. That hasn’t stopped the born and raised Sunshine Coast rapper from living life to the fullest in his hometown, in fact, he wouldn’t want to live anywhere else! Read on to find out MC Wheels’ top tips for people who use a wheelchair on the Sunshine Coast.
Best music festival?
If you’re a big fan of music and love the sunshine, Noosa Come Together is a fantastic festival. It’s all about inclusiveness and supporting people with disabilities. I’ve had the honour to play here a couple of times! They always have amazing musical acts, food and a whole range of activities to make it a full day of fun. What better way to spend the day along the Noosa River foreshore than with great music!
Do you have a secret hang out spot?
The Ability Collective is an amazing organisation that caters for people with disabilities. It is a warehouse in Baringa with all kinds of activities from art workshops and music therapy to dance and social events. It’s such a friendly environment with amazing staff who create some epic activities and events. Definitely one to check out!
What’s your favourite place to visit in nature?
Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve in Maleny in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland
One of my absolute favourite places to visit every now and then is Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, an absolutely beautiful rainforest walk. Here you can see amazing wildlife, huge trees and hear exotic nature sounds. It’s peaceful to escape from the busy concrete jungle and get back to nature. It has an accessible pathway and a Rainforest Discovery Centre where you can learn all about the area with interactive displays.
What’s your favourite accessible attraction?
Meet the wildlife at Australia Zoo
If you’re visiting the Sunshine Coast, you should definitely tick SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast and Australia Zoo off your bucket list. It’s amazing to explore all different types of sea creatures and marine life that you ordinarily wouldn’t see. Then on land, you have Australia Zoo with its mixture of Australian and exotic animals. The scale of this zoo is massive, you can easily spend the entire day there. I’ve been to these spots multiple times and find them both very accessible.
SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast, Mooloolaba
