For some people with disabilities choosing where to live is very much about what is available in the local area. This usually involves:

In Australia the design and structure of buildings and how people use them is set by the Australian Building Codes Board. It is the Building Code of Australia that architects, town planners, engineers and councils use when designing buildings, streets, parks and all other public areas that are not natural features of the landscape. The Building Code of Australia in conjunction with the Disability Discrimination Act's Disability (Access to Premises - Buildings) Standard has a detailed list of what types of access are required in buildings and the specifications regarding this access. This is to ensure that public buildings, businesses and other types of buildings provide access for people with a disability.

Because the cities and towns of Queensland range from being very old to very new, so are the buildings – therefore some are accessible and some are not. New buildings must comply with the Building Code of Australia and the Premises Standard when they are constructed and older buildings must comply when the owner or person or business using the building does major renovations or changes. In this way, all buildings will eventually become accessible.

There are also a number of changes that councils and shires can make to increase access in public areas. These include:

One recent example of how a local council can improve the accessibility of the community is the Brisbane City Council's new Disability Improvement Program. This program aims to use the revenue raised from disability parking fines to fund a range of community improvement projects that will increase the accessibility of parks, pools, and public amenities for people with disabilities. This program is just one creative way in which this council is attempting to develop more inclusive communities in Brisbane.
 

The information here shows how people in some towns and suburbs have worked in community-minded ways to increase accessibility for people with disabilities. When this happens, the process usually involves councils or shires working together with people with disabilities that bring particular access issues to their attention.