AUSTRALIA | A new sensory room at Discovery Parks – Goolwa is being used to test how holiday environments can better support people experiencing sensory overload, with findings from a 12-month research project intended to help shape more inclusive tourism.
The new sensory regulation space has opened ahead of the summer school holiday period, providing people of all ages with a quiet place to reset when the sights, sounds and activity of a holiday become overwhelming.
Designed using evidence-based sensory principles, the space aims to reduce stress, lower cognitive load and support nervous system regulation. The objective is to help people recover from sensory overwhelm and return to enjoying their holiday, rather than having to leave the environment altogether.
The Goolwa facility will also form the basis of a 12-month research study into sensory regulation in holiday environments.
Discovery Parks is inviting guests, local families, carers and individuals across the Fleurieu Peninsula to take part and provide feedback on their experiences. The findings will be used to identify what works and help inform the development of more inclusive holiday experiences across the tourism industry.
Research from Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) found sensory overload, uncertainty and anxiety can make travel significantly more stressful for families with sensory-sensitive members, with some avoiding travel altogether.
The sensory space was developed with sensory design specialist Dr Bliss Cavanagh and Creative Sensory Spaces.
Cavanagh said the philosophy behind the space was that the environment itself should do the work.
“The environment has been designed to reduce cognitive load, gently guide attention and support nervous system regulation,” she said.
“When people are able to regulate and recover from sensory overwhelm, they’re often able to re-engage with the broader venue experience rather than needing to leave altogether.”
Discovery Parks Interim Chief Operating Officer Michaela Webster said the initiative built on the work of the Watts family’s Reilly Room project and represented the next step in making holidays more accessible for families who can find travel challenging.
“Families shouldn’t have to hope for the best when they go on holiday,” she said.
“We’ve created this space with experts who understand sensory regulation, and now we want to understand what happens when you put those principles into a real holiday environment.”
Webster said that while Discovery Parks was well known for water parks and kids’ clubs, the new approach was focused on nervous system regulation, helping people recover from sensory overwhelm in as little as 10 minutes without clinical support or a trained worker.
“Over the next 12 months, we’ll be listening to families and gathering evidence about what genuinely helps people regulate while travelling and look to expand the spaces across our parks.”
The Goolwa sensory space forms part of the park’s broader $20 million redevelopment and will be available to both guests and the local community.
Families and individuals interested in participating in the 12-month study can register their interest through Discovery Parks – Goolwa.
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