Hi all,
I am currently writing a research paper on accessibility of transport services in Australia (for disabled & elderly). Being a foreigner (S'porean), i am unsure of the situation Australia is in right now and would love to have some input from you guys. Besides that, please tell me which state in Australia is the most developed in terms of accessible tourism.

Thanks in advance!

I am not familiar in detail with every state but other than for the national bus company Greyhound and Airlines because of their national operation, it will vary somewhat as governemnt transport is a state managed service and then there is the different services, ie.
. Sydney has harbour/river ferries and Brisbane river ferries (might be some on the Swan in Perth too but not sure) and gangway boarding is not too conducive for the disabled but ferry access openings are reasonably wide.

. Melbourne has a huge tram network and whereas older type trams were a step up/down access quite difficult for the elderly or disabled, modern designs are of much lower access.

. Capital cities have most airlines/flights serviced by air bridge connectors but that is about where it ends, but airlines do accommodate and assist wheelchair bound passengers and I've known for passengers to ve lifted with a lift instead of having to negotiate stairs.

. Most train services, both urban and regional from capital cities have good platform to carriage level and wide accesses and special provision on some re seating for disabled and elderly on side seating so as to allow easier access than forwards/rear facing seating.
Sydney has some double decker trains and though getting down to bottom or up to lower deck entails stairs, they do have a small landing area in accessing each carriage and a couple of seats in there.

. Brisbane and Sydney have trains servicing their airports whereas Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and other capitals rely on buses, and I know the Melbourne Airport buses are of a suspension lowering type to assist passengers getting on with luggage and thus also making it easier for everybody and there is some side seating for elderly and disabled, but that's limit of my knowledge there and not too sure on how easier access has spread to buses in general.

Hope some others can make input on their locales.

wow thanks! your reply is so informative! i've got a much better understanding of transport accessibility in Australia right now.