estara

What estara does

estara is a registered not-for-profit charity and NDIS provider headquartered in Dulwich, Adelaide, delivering specialist disability support services across South Australia. Founded in 1963 as the Paraplegic & Quadriplegic Association of South Australia (PQSA) and rebranded in March 2024 to its current name following the integration of Paraquad SA and HomeCare+, estara employs over 650 staff and serves people living with spinal cord injury, neurological conditions, and other physical disabilities across Greater Adelaide and five regional corridors (South East, Eyre Peninsula, Mid North, Yorke Peninsula, and Riverland).

Its core service portfolio spans Spinal Cord Injury Support (specialist nurses, peer support mentors with lived SCI experience), Allied Health (occupational therapy, physiotherapy, multi-disciplinary therapies), In-Home and Community Support, Support Coordination, and 24/7 Supported Independent Living (SIL). Specialist offerings include Occupational Therapy Driving Assessment with vehicle modifications, the QWERTY Computer & Recreational Hub at the Repat Spinal Unit, accessible community programs such as the Paragolfer and Inclusive Beach Days, and the 2026-launched Spinal Cord Injury Hub online resource platform.

The business model is overwhelmingly NDIS-funded: services are priced at or below NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, with client enquiries handled via phone (1800 378 272) and website contact forms and routed through Support Coordinators. Secondary revenue streams include corporate ESG/social impact partnerships, bequests and wills, and community fundraising (e.g., Pink Flamingo Swim/Walk/Roll), but these are small relative to NDIS billings. Strategic partnerships with Lifetime Support Authority, SA Health, Drive Smart Driving School, Adelaide and Flinders Universities, and City of Holdfast Bay anchor both referral pipelines and program delivery. The organisation is governed by a Board chaired by Beth Davidson-Park, with two Lived Experience Board Directors, and is led by CEO Nicole Sykes (appointed September 2025) with an all-female executive team.

Name

estara

Legal name

The Paraplegic & Quadriplegic Association of South Australia

Website

https://estara.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

estara is a registered not-for-profit NDIS provider and charity in South Australia, delivering specialist spinal cord injury and disability support services to over 650 staff across metro and regional SA, including SIL, allied health, peer support, and in-home care.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services (BPAGAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Affordable / Low-Income Assisted Living (Medicaid Waiver Focused) (HLADABAE)

Keywords

• NDIS support services
• Spinal cord injury care
• Allied health services
• Supported independent living
• Disability support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. NDIS-funded services: estara is a registered NDIS provider (NDIS Provider: 4050002059) delivering services funded through NDIS plans, including Supported Independent Living (SIL), Support Coordination, Allied Health (OT, Physio), Spinal Cord Injury nursing, and in-home & community support. Pricing is guided by NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. The organisation will not charge more than permitted under NDIS pricing arrangements.
2. Corporate partnerships and sponsorships: Corporate partnerships provide financial support through ESG & Social Impact Partnerships, corporate giving/donations, and corporate volunteering arrangements. Partnerships are tailored to deliver shared value and measurable outcomes for community and the partner organisation.
3. Bequests and legacies: Donations and bequests in Wills support peer-led counselling, community inclusion programs, accessible equipment, specialist training and advocacy. Gifts can be residual, a percentage of estate, or a specific amount or asset.
4. Community fundraising: Community-run fundraising events such as the Pink Flamingo Swim/Walk/Roll raise funds for peer support, outreach, advocacy and community programs. Funds stay in South Australia.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

estara is a registered NDIS provider and charity that delivers specialist disability support services in South Australia, including in-home and community support, 24/7 Supported Independent Living, Support Coordination, Allied Health (physiotherapy and occupational therapy), specialist spinal cord injury nursing, and a peer support mentor program staffed by people with lived SCI experience. Services are funded primarily through NDIS plans, Lifetime Support Authority, and Return to Work SA, and are delivered across metro Adelaide and regional South Australia by 650+ staff.

Product overview

estara is a registered NDIS provider and charity offering a comprehensive suite of disability support services across South Australia. The organization operates as a unified service platform combining specialist clinical services (Allied Health, Spinal Cord Injury Support, Support Coordination, Supported Independent Living) with community programs (Peer Support Mentors, Community Programs, QWERTY Hub) and resource platforms (Spinal Cord Injury Hub). Services span from in-home support and 24/7 SIL accommodation to driving assessments with vehicle modifications, all coordinated through NDIS funding frameworks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spinal Cord Injury Support
• Allied Health Multi-disciplinary clinical services including specialist physiotherapists and occupational therapists dedicated to supporting people living with spinal cord injury, neurological conditions and other physical disabilities.
• In-Home & Community Support Personalised assistance supporting individuals to live independently at home and in the community, including daily tasks, personal care, and mobility support.
• Support Coordination NDIS support coordination that guides participants in utilising their NDIS plan funding, navigating disability services, and connecting with community resources.
• Supported Independent Living (SIL)
• Occupational Therapy Driving Assessment and Vehicle Modification
• Spinal Cord Injury Hub
• Community Programs
• Corporate Partnerships
• Bequests and Wills

Quantifiable outcome

• 77% client satisfaction maintained in 2025 Client Survey, with Net Promoter Score of +41 (up 10 points)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• City of Holdfast BaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020estara has partnered with the City of Holdfast Bay to deliver Inclusive Beach Days at Glenelg, providing up to 50 metres of beach matting from the foreshore to the water, along with volunteer support and access to beach and floating wheelchairs on designated days. The program was postponed for the 2025/26 season due to algae bloom uncertainty and is planned to resume in early 2027.
• Rotary Club of GlenelgsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Partnered with estara and the City of Holdfast Bay to support the Inclusive Beach Days program, providing beach accessibility equipment and volunteer support for people with disability to enjoy South Australian beaches.
• Kate Smyth and Martyn Talbot (Pink Flamingo event organisers)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Kate Smyth and Martyn Talbot have organised the annual Pink Flamingo Swim/Walk/Roll since 2020, raising close to $7,000 for estara across multiple years. The event honours Alan McFarlane and supports estara's peer support, outreach, advocacy and community programs.
• Lifetime Support Authority (SA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerestara partners with the Lifetime Support Authority to provide free peer support mentorship to people living with spinal cord injury. The partnership enables Peer Support Mentors (people with lived SCI experience) to operate at the Repatriation Health Precinct Spinal Injury Unit and in the community, supporting individuals and families affected by SCI. The relationship is long-standing and central to estara's peer support program.
• Drive Smart Driving SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerestara has partnered with Drive Smart Driving School to provide a community service for people with disability. Drive Smart provides a modified Toyota Camry with accessible features and driving control modifications, enabling people with physical disability to complete driving assessments and training to regain their driver's license post injury, learn to drive in a modified vehicle, or trial different hand controls.
• Corporate Partners (unspecified)supportingGTM or Marketing Partnerestara engages with corporate partners for ESG & Social Impact Partnerships, corporate giving and sponsorship, and corporate volunteering. Partners can support peer-led counselling, community inclusion events, specialist rehabilitation programs, and accessible equipment. Skilled volunteering opportunities include design, communications, trades, IT and consulting. Kate Chapley serves as Partnership and Engagement Manager.
• SA Sharks Wheelchair RugbycoreGTM or Marketing Partnerestara is the State Partner of Wheelchair Rugby Australia and proud sponsors of the SA Sharks Wheelchair Rugby team. The partnership supports the Australian National Championships and the Santos Wheelchair Rugby World Challenge. estara is committed to continuing sponsorship in 2026. This partnership promotes sport, inclusion and community connection for people with disability.
• SA Health / Repatriation Health PrecinctcoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerestara operates its Peer Support team and the QWERTY Computer & Recreational Hub at the Repatriation Health Precinct Spinal Unit in Daw Park, Adelaide. Allied health services with modern facilities and equipment were established in 2023 at this location. estara also collaborates with SA Health on programs such as the Art and Wellbeing sessions on the Spinal ward.
• Adelaide University (PhD Candidate Georgie Edwards)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Spinal Cord Injury Hub was developed in 2026 through a project led by PhD Candidate Georgie Edwards from Adelaide University during a placement with estara. Content was identified and created by estara staff, clients and community members with lived SCI experience, with support from the clinical team, through a co-design process.
• Adelaide & Flinders UniversitiessupportingStrategic or Co-development Partnerestara is partnering with Adelaide and Flinders Universities on a new brain training research study using the NeuroOrb gaming system for people with spinal cord injury. The research involves MRI, questionnaires and cognitive assessments, and participants receive vouchers up to $350 upon completion.
• Hampstead Rehabilitation CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerestara connected client Delvin with Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre for a proper wheelchair after noticing her inadequate equipment. The rehabilitation centre is a key partner in estara's pathway for newly injured individuals to access appropriate equipment, therapy and support.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Minda Incorporated: South Australia's largest disability services organisation, providing accommodation, employment and allied health under NDIS — the most direct in-state disability peer, though broader in scope (intellectual disability focus) than estara's SCI specialty.
• Yooralla: Long-standing Victorian disability provider offering SIL, in-home support, allied health and therapy under NDIS — comparable service mix and funding model, but operating in a different geography.
• Bedford: South Australian disability and employment services provider delivering supported employment, training and community participation — comparable as another large SA-based disability organisation with similar funding profile.
• Northcott: NSW-based NDIS provider offering accommodation, in-home support, therapy and recreation programs — closely overlapping with estara's integrated SIL/therapy/support coordination model.
• CPL (Choice, Passion, Life): Queensland-focused disability and NDIS provider delivering accommodation, allied health and community participation — comparable multi-service NDIS model operating in a different state.
• Spinal Cord Injury Alberta: Canadian provincial SCI specialist organisation providing peer support, rehabilitation coordination and community services — directly comparable to estara's specialist SCI mission and lived-experience peer mentor model, but operating in Canada.

Broad incumbents

• Scope Australia: Large, established Victorian disability provider delivering accommodation, allied health, and support coordination — a broader-scale incumbent operating in an adjacent state with overlapping NDIS-funded services.

Direct peers

• Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA): National peak body and NDIS provider specifically supporting people with spinal cord injury through peer support, allied health and advocacy — the closest specialty peer to estara's SCI focus across Australia.
• Achieve Australia: NSW-based NDIS provider offering supported independent living, in-home support, support coordination and allied health — closely overlapping estara's service portfolio with similar person-centred disability model.
• Life Without Barriers: One of Australia's largest non-government disability and out-of-home care providers, delivering NDIS-funded disability supports nationally — directly comparable in service mix (SIL, in-home support, support coordination) and funding model to estara.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/estara.becauseyoumatter
• Instagraminstagram.com/estara.becauseyoumatter

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about estara