Spinallife Australia

What Spinallife Australia does

Spinal Life Australia is a not-for-profit disability services organisation founded in 1960 and headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland. The organisation is a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider delivering allied health services (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology, hydrotherapy), personal support, peer support from staff with lived experience of spinal cord injury, community nursing, assistive technology mentoring, NDIS support coordination, and plan management to people with spinal cord injuries and physical disabilities. It operates two purpose-built Healthy Living Centres in Brisbane and Cairns and serves a primary market of more than 1.2 million Queenslanders living with disability, with additional operations in Western Australia.

The business model is anchored in NDIS-funded service delivery under the NDIA Price Guide, supplemented by donations, philanthropy, short-term accommodation fees at the Healthy Living Centres, and grant-funded programs such as the Access Accelerator (Queensland Government Accessible Tourism Enablers Grant) and EnABLED Business (Tourism Workforce Project / Growing Workforce Participation Fund). Distribution is direct: 830 employees deliver services through in-person clinical care, home-based personal support, and community programs; the Accessible Australia app and The Advocate magazine provide top-of-funnel community engagement and content marketing. Strategic acquisitions of Move Mobility (mobility equipment retail, October 2023) and Sporting Wheelies (disability sports and recreation, January 2024) have expanded the service portfolio beyond clinical allied health into equipment supply and adaptive sports.

The organisation also operates B2B-facing consulting offerings — Access and Inclusion Consulting for tourism operators and businesses, the EnABLED Business Program for SMBs (delivered with Epic Assist), and the Accessible Australia app — positioning it as both a clinical care provider and a thought leader on accessible tourism and disability employment. Governance is provided by an independent Board with executive leadership under CEO Mark Townend; the FY2025 audit was moved from KPMG to Pitcher Partners following a competitive RFP, signalling governance maturation.

Name

Spinallife Australia

Legal name

Spinal Life Australia Ltd

Website

https://spinal.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Spinal Life Australia is a Queensland-based not-for-profit, registered NDIS provider delivering allied health, personal support, peer mentoring, community nursing, assistive technology, and plan management to people with spinal cord injuries and physical disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134), Home Health Care Services (62161), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Social Services (8300), Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Centers (HLAFAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Mobility Device Sales, Rental & Service (Wheelchairs, Scooters, Walkers) (HSABAKAC), Recreational Outings, Community Participation & Mobility Support (Non-Clinical) (HSABAAAI), Rehabilitation Return-to-Exercise Training (Non-Clinical) (HSADAAAK)

Keywords

• Spinal cord injury support
• Allied health services
• NDIS provider
• Disability advocacy
• Accessibility consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. NDIS-funded service delivery: Spinal Life Australia is a registered NDIS provider. Services including personal support, allied health (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology), peer support, community nursing, assistive technology, support coordination, and plan management are funded through NDIS participant plans. Pricing follows NDIS Price Guide guidelines set by the National Disability Insurance Agency.
2. Donations and philanthropy: The organisation receives donations from the public and corporate sponsors to support its advocacy, community programs, and Accessible Australia app. POA Billboards' Doing Good Sponsorship Program provides outdoor advertising packages valued at more than $75,000.
3. Short-term accommodation / Healthy Living Centres: The organisation operates Healthy Living Centres in Cairns and Brisbane offering short-term accommodation, hydrotherapy, and therapy programs. Revenue is generated through NDIS-funded short-term accommodation packages and fee-for-service therapy programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Spinal Life Australia is a not-for-profit, registered NDIS provider delivering allied health and therapy services (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology, hydrotherapy), personal support, peer support, community nursing, assistive technology, and NDIS support coordination and plan management for people with spinal cord injuries and physical disabilities. It also provides disability advocacy and accessibility consulting to businesses and tourism operators.

Product overview

Spinal Life Australia operates as a not-for-profit disability services organization offering a comprehensive suite of allied health and therapy services for individuals with spinal cord injuries and physical disabilities. The core service portfolio includes personal support solutions delivered by Personal Support Workers, allied health services (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology), peer support mentoring, community nursing, assistive technology assessments and mentoring, and NDIS support coordination and plan management. The organization operates two Healthy Living Centre facilities in Cairns and Brisbane, providing hydrotherapy services and short-term accommodation. Accessibility-focused programs include the Access Accelerator Program (tourism accessibility transformation), EnABLED Business Program (business inclusion), and the Accessible Australia mobile application for accessibility reviews. The 2024 merger with Sporting Wheelies expanded services to include disability sports programs. All services are delivered by a team of over 830 employees with guidance from people with lived experience of disability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Healthy Living Centre (HLC): Specialist allied health and therapy centres offering physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology, and hydrotherapy services in Cairns and Brisbane.
• Accessible Australia
• Access Accelerator
• EnABLED Business
• EverActive
• Back2Work

Products and services

• Allied Health Services Comprehensive allied health services including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology, and allied health assistants supporting individuals with spinal cord injuries and physical disabilities.
• Personal Support Solutions Personal care and support services delivered by Personal Support Workers (PSWs) to assist individuals with daily activities at home, work, and in the community.
• Peer Support One-on-one support and mentoring provided by people with lived experience of spinal cord injury, offering guidance from hospital to home and in the community.
• Community Nursing Professional nursing services for individuals with spinal cord damage and physical disabilities.
• Assistive Technology Assessment, guidance, and support for assistive technology and home automation solutions including impartial information, product recommendations, home installation, and troubleshooting.
• Support Coordination NDIS support coordination services to help participants navigate and maximise their NDIS plans.
• Plan Management NDIS plan management services to assist participants with financial administration of their plans.
• Advocacy Advocacy services to support members and clients, including preparing for NDIS plan reassessment meetings and representing disability rights.
• Access and Inclusion Consulting Business accessibility consulting services to help organisations improve accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities, including disability awareness training.
• Healthy Living Centre State-of-the-art allied health and therapy facilities located in Cairns and Brisbane, featuring hydrotherapy pools and comprehensive rehabilitation services.
• Hydrotherapy Services Therapeutic water-based exercise programs utilising heated pools to improve mobility, strength, and pain management for individuals with spinal cord injuries and physical disabilities.
• Short-Term Accommodation Temporary accommodation services for NDIS participants, branded under Healthy Living Centre.
• Back2Work Vocational rehabilitation and employment support program to help individuals return to work after spinal cord injury.
• Mobility Aids and Equipment Equipment supply services including mobility aids, available through the Move Mobility business.
• Assistive Technology Mentoring Service Impartial guidance and support for selecting assistive technology solutions, including home automation assessments, installation, programming, and troubleshooting without product sales.
• Accessible Australia App Free mobile and web application providing first-hand accessibility reviews and experiences for hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars, shopping centres, public bathrooms, beaches, and parks to help people with disabilities make informed travel decisions.
• Access Accelerator Program Queensland Government-funded program designed to transform tourism destinations into inclusive and accessible havens through disability awareness training, inclusive technology adoption, and access planning.
• EnABLED Business Program Free business inclusion program providing small business mentoring, disability awareness training workshops, and recommendations to improve access and inclusion for businesses in Ipswich, Sunshine Coast, and Wide Bay regions.
• The Advocate Magazine Quarterly magazine publication providing news, stories, and resources for the spinal cord injury community.
• Sporting Wheelies Programs Disability sports and recreation programs including wheelchair basketball, boccia, adaptive aquatics, wheelchair cricket, and EverActive programs for over 60s, merged into Spinal Life Australia in 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access Accelerator program targets 50 tourism operators on the Sunshine Coast with accessibility improvements
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• POA BillboardsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 May 2026Spinal Life Australia is a recipient of POA Billboards' Doing Good Sponsorship Program, receiving an outdoor advertising package valued at more than $75,000 to help raise vital awareness across Queensland.
• Epic AssistcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2024Epic Assist, a disability employment specialist, partners with Spinal Life Australia to deliver the EnABLED Business program in the Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay regions. Epic Assist Employment Advisors work alongside Spinal Life's Small Business Inclusion Mentors to connect businesses with potential employees with disability and provide expertise on disability employment.
• Sporting WheeliescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 January 2024In January 2024, the members of Sporting Wheelies voted unanimously to transition their organisation to become part of Spinal Life Australia. This integration brings disability sports and recreation programs (wheelchair basketball, boccia, swimming, cricket, EverActive for over 60s, Adaptive Aquatics) under the Spinal Life umbrella, significantly expanding the community ecosystem.
• Queensland CricketminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 January 2024Sporting Wheelies (now part of Spinal Life Australia) partnered with Queensland Cricket to launch a brand-new Wheelchair Cricket program in Brisbane in 2025, expanding disability sports offerings.
• Australian Tourism Industry CouncilcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 December 2023Spinal Life Australia announced a partnership with the Australian Tourism Industry Council in December 2023 to promote accessible tourism. With one in six Australians (4.4 million) living with disability and being underserviced in the tourism industry, the partnership aims to drive change and improve accessibility in tourism experiences nationwide.
• Move MobilitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 October 2023Move Mobility is a Spinal Life Australia business venture focused on mobility aids and equipment supply. More information about Move Mobility is available through Spinal Life's equipment supply service pages.
• Queensland Government (State Government)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 August 2023The Queensland State Government announced funding for the Spinal Injuries Unit, which Spinal Life Australia welcomed as a significant step forward in addressing the pressing needs of individuals with spinal cord injuries. This follows years of advocacy by the organisation.
• CérgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 August 2023Spinal Life Australia and Cérge partnered to deliver the Access Accelerator program, a transformative initiative funded by the Queensland Government's Accessible Tourism Enablers Grant. Cérge provides companion technologies that solve barriers to community participation for the disability community, while Spinal Life contributes its accessibility expertise and community reach. The program aims to make 50 Sunshine Coast tourism operators more accessible.
• Visit Sunshine CoastcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 August 2023Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Matt Stoeckel expressed full support for the Access Accelerator program. The organisation works with Spinal Life and Cérge to engage Sunshine Coast tourism operators in the program, helping them better understand the accessible tourism market and improve experiences for travellers with disability.
• Queensland GovernmentcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023The Queensland Government provided funding through its Accessible Tourism Enablers Grant under the Year of Accessible Tourism in Queensland to support the Access Accelerator program. The government also funds the EnABLED Business program in the Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay through its Tourism Workforce Project, and in Ipswich through its Growing Workforce Participation Fund.
• SeqwaterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2020Seqwater partnered with Spinal Life Australia and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to support an industrial design competition for accessible kayak launch and recovery systems. Seqwater provided a $2,000 prize for the winning team. The initiative aimed to remove barriers for people with physical disability to enjoy kayaking in south-east Queensland's lakes and dams.
• Queensland University of Technology (QUT)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2020QUT Bachelor of Design (Honours) students participated in an accessible kayak platform design competition initiated by Spinal Life Australia. Thirteen teams submitted designs, with the winning 'Adaptic Land Launcher' design receiving $2,000 from Seqwater with further consideration for development and testing.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Northcott: Northcott is a large NSW-headquartered NDIS provider delivering therapy, accommodation, and support coordination across multiple disability types — a broader incumbent competing with Spinal Life in allied health and NDIS service delivery.
• Life Without Barriers: Life Without Barriers is one of Australia's largest NDIS and community services providers, delivering personal support, allied health, and accommodation nationally — competing for the same NDIS-funded participants as Spinal Life Australia at greater scale.
• APM (Advanced Personnel Management): APM is one of Australia's largest disability employment and allied health providers, operating across NDIS plan management, employment services, and rehabilitation — a broad incumbent competing for government-funded disability contracts nationwide.

Direct peers

• Independence Australia: Independence Australia provides disability equipment, continence, and homecare products nationally — closely comparable to Spinal Life's Move Mobility equipment supply arm, and adjacent to its allied health and personal support services.
• Achieve Australia: Achieve Australia delivers accommodation, supported employment, therapy, and community participation services to people with disability in NSW and QLD — comparable to Spinal Life Australia's allied health, accommodation, and employment support offerings.
• Cerebral Palsy Alliance: Cerebral Palsy Alliance operates an integrated suite of allied health, therapy, equipment, accommodation, and research services for people with disability across NSW — closely comparable to Spinal Life Australia's vertically integrated model and NDIS service portfolio.
• Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA): SCIA is a national SCI-focused peer support, advocacy, and information organisation offering overlapping services such as peer mentoring, education, and NDIS navigation that compete directly with Spinal Life Australia's core offerings.
• Rocky Bay: Rocky Bay is a WA-based disability services provider offering allied health, assistive technology, accommodation, and community participation — directly comparable to Spinal Life Australia's integrated disability service model.
• ParaQuad NSW: ParaQuad NSW delivers advocacy, accommodation, therapy, and personal care to people with spinal cord injury in New South Wales, with a comparable SCI-focused specialist model to Spinal Life Australia.
• AQA (formerly AQA Victoria): AQA is a Victorian peer-led disability organisation providing advocacy, therapy, and lifetime support for people with spinal cord injury — making it the closest direct peer to Spinal Life Australia in terms of mission, SCI specialisation, and member-led service model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/spinallife
• Facebookfacebook.com/spinallifeaustralia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Spinallife Australia