Osborne Heli Tours
Exploring Port Arthur From Above
With Osborne Heli Tours
We decided we wanted to book a helicopter flight while we were down in Port Arthur so we could see the amazing views from above.. After a bit of googling I came across Osborne Heli Tours which are located on the Arthur Highway and just 10 minutes from the Port Arthur Historic Site.
I contacted Osborne Heli Tours a few weeks before our trip to ensure they were comfortable with accommodating a wheelchair user. I had been on a helicopter flight before, so I knew it was possible and we could manage the transfer, but even so I thought it would be best to just double check with the company to confirm they were comfortable accommodating me onboard a tour.
Wheelchair Accessible Helicopter Flight
Osborne Heli Tours were very accommodating with the wheelchair and they had no issue at all welcoming me onboard one of their helicopter flights. The guys that worked there were all very friendly and helpful.
The location is step free including the entry to the office to check-in for the tour, however the grounds to the helicopter from the office is made of small pebbles which is a little tricky to navigate in a wheelchair. I managed the pebbles ok in my electric wheelchair, but manual wheelchairs might need a helping hand.
Mum picked me up and transferred me to the helicopter with out to much trouble before they started up the helicopter. Nicky sat in the front to get some awesome Go Pro footage, while mum and I sat at the back. Once we were seated, the guy on the ground then pushed my wheelchair out of the way and stored it until my return.
Amazing Port Arthur Helicopter Views
The views were breath taking and being able to see everything from birds eye view was so amazing! We did run into a little turbulence on the way back, but this made the experience even more thrilling. We absolutely loved the flight and exploring Port Arthur from above.
Sadly we did have an issue with our headsets. Once we took off mum and I soon realised our headsets at the back weren’t working, so we were unable to hear the pilots commentary or communicate with Nicky and the pilot. This was disappointing as we had no idea what we were looking at or the story behind it. Even though we loved soaking in the views it would of been nice to hear the story behind what we were seeing. I’m not sure if the headsets were faulty or just weren’t turned on correctly, but hopefully they sorted out the issue for the next people.
On our return, my wheelchair was bought back out to me, and we left the helicopter with the amazing views of Port Arthur in our memory.
We really enjoyed our Osborne Heli Tour during our Tasmania adventure. We captured some great Go Pro footage and are so glad we experienced Port Arthur from above. I highly recommend to take a tour with them if you are visiting Port Arthur and you are able to manage the transfer to and from the helicopter.
To find out more head over to Osborne Heli Tours website at www.osbornehelitours.com
Even though Osborne Heli Tours is step free, the transfer to and from the helicopter could be difficult for most wheelchair users, therefor I give it a rating of 3 for wheelchair accessibility, but a 4.5 star rating for experience.
* I was not financially compensated for this review. The review is based on my own opinion and personal experience.*