At just 18 years old, Bay of Plenty local Daisy is already changing the way disabled people explore Aotearoa.
A full-time wheelchair user, university student and founder of GoAble, Daisy has turned her own lived experiences into a platform that is helping create a more accessible New Zealand, one review at a time.
GoAble is New Zealand’s first community powered accessibility map, allowing people to share real experiences of visiting cafes, restaurants, parks, shops and public spaces. From accessible parking and entrances to ramps and toilets, the platform gives disabled people the information they need before leaving home, replacing uncertainty with confidence.
For Daisy, the idea wasn’t born from business ambitions, it was born from experience.
Growing up, she often found herself navigating barriers that many people neber have to think anbout. Sometimes they were physical, like steps at an entrance or inaccessible toilets. Other times they were less visible, including feeling excluded or underestimated because of her disability.
Rather than accepting those experiences as simply part of everyday life, Daisy decided to create something that could make life easier for others.
“I didn’t want future generations of disabled people to face the same uncertainty I had,” she says. “I wanted to do something about it.”
That determination has become GoAble, a growing community where accessibility information is shared by the people who know it best/
Unlike traditional accessibility guides, GoAble recognises that accessibility isn’t simply a matter of somewhere being “accessible” or “not accessible”. Every person’s needs are different, and it’s often the smaller details that determine whether someone can comfortably visit a vanue.
For many disabled people, planning a trip to a new cafe, restaurant or attraction isn’t spontaneous. Without reliable accessibility information, every outing can become a gamble.
Daisy believes that having access to detailed, real-world information allows people to make informed decisions, enjoy greater independence and spend less time worrying about whether they’ll be able to fully participate once they arrive.
Although GoAble has only recently launched, the response has already reinforced just how needed the platform is. Within its first weeks, more than 200 locations and 64 community reviews had been added, something Daisy describes as the beginning of a much bigger movement.
While GoAble continues to grow, Daisy credits much of her confidence and outlook to the Halberg Games community.
Having attended the Games for the past four years, she says they have given her far more than the opportunity to compete.
The Games introduced her to a community where everyone belongs, where difference is celebrated and where disability is never seen as something to overcome. That sense of belonging has stayed with her and continues to influence the way she approaches GoAble and its mission of creating a more inclusive New Zealand.
Now, Daisy hopes the platform will become one of the country’s most valuable accessibility tools, helping disabled people confidently explore new places while encouraging businesses to better understand accessibility and make meaningful improvements.
She believes creating a more inclusive Aotearoa doesn’t always require major change. Sometimes, it starts with simply noticing the world differently.
Whether it’s recognising barriers, celebrating accessible spaces, or taking a few minutes to leave a review on GoAble, every action contributes to a bigger movement.
For Daisy, accessibility isn’t just about buildings or infrastructure – it’s about ensuring everyone has the confidence to participate, belong and experience everything New Zealand has to offer.
And thanks to her vision, that future is already becoming a reality, one accessible place at a time.
DISCOVER GOABLE
Want to explore with confidence or help build a more accessible Aotearoa?
Visit GoAble to discover accessible places across New Zealand, share your own experiences, or leave a review to help others navigate with confidence.
You can also follow Dairy and the GoAble journey on social media to stay up to date with new features, accessibility stories and communnity contributions.
Every review, recommendation and shared experience helps create a more accessible New Zealand, one place at a time!
