At Guide Dogs, we empower people with vision loss to achieve independence, participation, inclusion and wellbeing.
Our History
At Guide Dogs we have a strong and long-standing reputation for doing what’s right.
That’s why Guide Dogs has been voted Australia’s Most Trusted Charity on seven occasions.
For more than 60 years, we have enabled a lifetime of independence, participation, inclusion and wellbeing for people with vision loss and their families.
In 2020, we marked 60 years since the first Committee meeting of Guide Dogs for the Blind Association of Queensland was officially held. Much has changed in the past 60 years and one thing that has always held importance is our commitment to helping people with vision loss.
Guide Dogs for the Blind Association of Queensland was started when Hubie Morris, of Townsville, became the first person to receive a Guide Dog in 1960. Hubie was matched with Guide Dog ‘Halda’ and he went on to establish the Townsville Auxiliary, which raised money for more Queenslanders to be matched with Guide Dogs.
60 years later, we are honoured to continue provide vital services for people living with vision loss and we look forward to continuing to do so for another 60 years and beyond.
How We Help
We put our clients and their families at the heart of everything we do.
Every day, we empower people to find the solutions that will make the biggest differences to achieve independence, participation, inclusion and wellbeing.
We understand that no two journeys are the same. So, we work side-by-side with clients and their families to help them find their way with services tailored to suit them.
We support people of all ages, with different levels of vision loss, to achieve freedom and independence.
About Our Dogs
There’s a reason we’re called ‘Guide Dogs’.
For decades now, Guide Dogs have been a beacon of joy and opportunity – not only for people living with vision and mobility loss, but for many other Australians.
Vision loss can be a confronting and challenging experience which can leave people feeling isolated in their own communities. Limited vision impacts a person’s feelings of security, independence, social health and confidence as they navigate their community and undertake the daily tasks many of us take for granted.
A Guide Dog completely changes this and can totally transform a person’s life. A Guide Dog helps their handler navigate the world and continue doing things like going to the shops, getting to work and moving through crowds safely and independently.
Our Guide Dogs provide so much more than just mobility benefits. They can enhance social participation, well-being, and encourage their handler to try new experiences and challenges.
