Accessibility

Event: Progress 2026

General information

Contact name

Pre-event: access@australianprogress.org.au

Contact number

(Shared closer to the event)

Travel instructions

By Tram: Tram routes 96, 109, and 12 will all take you directly to the Clarendon Street entrance (Stop 124A Casino/MCEC). Alternatively, tram routes 70, 75, and the City Circle can drop you off at Stop 1 Spencer St/Flinders St. From there, it is a 350m walk to the Clarendon Street entrance of MCEC. You will then need to walk down the Exhibition Centre (or on the outdoor public pathway) to the Convention Centre. By Bus: From Monday to Friday, bus route 237 goes via Southern Cross Station to 18 Pence Lane stop on Lorimer Street, which is roughly a six-minute walk to the Convention Centre Place entrance of the MCEC. By Train: Southern Cross Station is the closest train station to MCEC. When you come out of the station you can take tram routes 96, 109, or 12 to the 124A Casino/MCEC/Clarendon Street stop which is outside the Clarendon Street entrance. Or you can walk about 10 minutes along Spencer Street to reach MCEC. By Taxi, Rideshare, or Drop-off: The Clarendon Street entrance of MCEC has a one-way vehicle direction with a drop-off point that provides access to ramps and the building entrance. A high visibility line defines the curb. There will then be an approximately 500m walk inside the building on a level surface to the Convention Centre. The MCEC also has a nearby taxi rank outside their venue on Convention Centre Place by the Novotel Melbourne South Wharf hotel entrance.

Entry instructions

The Convention Centre Place entrance is the closest to the part of MCEC where Progress will take place. There will be signage to help you find Progress 2026. From the Convention Centre Place entrance there is a small step up from the road to the footpath directly outside the doors. This is marked with a high visibility strip. There are five curbside lips from the road to the footpath in various locations within the entrance. Concrete bollards are outside the entrance, they are not marked for high visibility. To enter the Convention Centre Place lobby, you will have to get through two sets of glass doors with sensor-operated automatic sliding doors. The doors feature visual indicator strips. The ground is flat.

After entry instructions

After you reach the Convention Centre, you will need to collect your lanyard at the registration and then enter either the Plenary or Breakout Rooms (depending on when you have arrived). To access the plenary, you can either enter from Ground at the back of the tiered seating through Doors 7 and 8; or take the stairs, lift or escalator to Lower Ground and enter on the flat portion of the plenary through doors 2 and 3. To access the Breakout rooms, you can take the lift, escalator or stairs to Level 2.

Toilet location

There are accessible toilets on every floor of the convention centre. These will be marked on the maps, and volunteers/MCEC staff can also point them out to you.

Accessible parking

Wilson Parking operates a secure underground car park at the Exhibition Centre. There are 20 dedicated accessible car parking bays within the Melbourne Exhibition Centre Basement Car Park, the car park entry is located on Normanby Road. All accessible car parks are located near doors 1, 6, and 10 which also have access to vertical lifts. You can book a discounted car spot online at Wilson Parking. Accessible car parking bays often fill up quickly, so we highly recommend pre-booking.

Wheelchair access

There is step-free access throughout the MCEC. There are accessible toilets, ramps, and lifts throughout MCEC, including lift access from the car parks. The MCEC also has a small number of wheelchairs that can be loaned to you for the day on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hearing Kits & Sound Amplification

All of our breakout and plenary rooms at MCEC have an infrared transmission-style hearing assistance system. Handheld microphones will be available to use in all rooms, with roving microphones to amplify audience questions. We’ll ask all speakers to use a microphone.

Auslan interpretation

We have AUSLAN interpreters booked for each day of Progress 2026, for plenaries and breakouts. Please let us know when registering if you require AUSLAN interpretation. This will allow us to judge if we need extra interpreters to cover concurrent sessions.

Braille signage

There is braille on all room door signage and fixed directional signage throughout the venue.

Live captioning

We will have live captioning available for plenaries by default, and break-out sessions as needed. Please let us know when registering if you need live captions, we will then follow up closer to the conference to give you the caption viewer link and confirm any other details.

Service/assistance animals

Service and assistance animals are welcome at Progress 2026.

Wider seating

Standard seating width at MCEC is 430mm – 475mm in plenary and 435mm in breakouts. A small number of wider seats are available – they are 750mm wide.

Masking

We are asking everyone to bring a mask with them to Progress 2026. We will have a limited supply at registration as well. f you’re speaking with someone wearing a mask, please put yours on as well. If someone asks you to put on a mask, whether in a one-on-one conversation or as a request from a presenter of a session, please respect their request and mask up without delay.

Companion Cards

Companion Card holders qualify for a complimentary ticket for their companion.

Quiet space

There will be a quiet room for when you need a break. It is on Level 2 near the breakouts and there will be signage to direct you there, or you can ask a volunteer to help you find it.

Online access

A number of hybrid, live-streamed and fully virtual sessions will be offered as part of the Virtual tickets to Progress 2026. More information on the online platform (including instructions for screen reader users etc) will be published closer to the date.

Full access key

For more detailed access information, including how to navigate the venue, please see progress2026.org.au/access