By Julius Ewudo, ASEAN Region Representative

Cocky Guides is a specialist tour operator for blind and low-vision travellers and a finalist for Outstanding Community Organisation at the 33rd Annual Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence.

Cocky Guides Founder James (Buck) McFarlane says, “Since our launch in 2018, we have successfully presented sensory experiences at over 60 destinations for more than 1,200 blind and low-vision travellers. At least 80 per cent of our travellers are from the Western Sydney region where we are based.”

Cocky Guides has created a purpose-built social enterprise and accessible tourism business for blind and low-vision Australians, offering fully immersive and engaging sensory experiences to some of Australia’s most iconic destinations like the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Uluru in the Northern Territory and Cradle Mountain in Tasmania. Across Western Sydney, Cocky Guides work with thirty local businesses in ten local government areas.

James says, “The Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence are a unique opportunity for us to reflect on our business, highlight our successes and recognise our failures. We’ve been able to develop effective strategies and continuous improvement.”

Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence’s past success for Cocky Guides includes:

– 2020 – Startup Superstar winner

– 2021 – Excellence in Micro Business winner

– 2022 – Excellence in Social Enterprise finalist and recipient of a Patron’s Acknowledgement

Cocky Guides run tactile and sensory group adventures all around Australia.