By Venudi W|Published On: August 12th, 2026|Categories: Events|

The Disability Events Community (DEC) brought the Community Disability Expo back to Bendigo in 2026, setting up at the All Seasons Resort Hotel in Strathdale. Help at Hand joined a strong line-up of local disability providers on the day, to meet with people living with disability, their families, guardians and support workers from across the region.

On the Road to Bendigo

The Bendigo Community Disability Expo drew a steady crowd through Strathdale Community Centre, families and support workers moving between stalls at their own pace, stopping to chat rather than rush. Our team spent the day talking through what support can look like day to day — not just services on a page, but real conversations about what people actually need.

It’s the kind of event that reminds you why the drive is worth it. Regional communities don’t always get the same access to disability services and providers that metro areas do, and expos like this one close that gap for a day, bringing everything under one roof so people don’t have to chase it down themselves.

Providers Under One Roof

Attendees also made a point of tracking down the social workers and support coordinators dotted through the room — the ones who spend their days helping people navigate plans, sort out paperwork, and connect the dots between services. For a lot of visitors, that conversation was the one they’d come for: less about picking a provider off a shelf, more about finally having someone talk them through how it all fits together. It’s easy to underestimate how much of the NDIS journey comes down to having the right person explain things clearly, and Bendigo had no shortage of those people on hand.

Nothing Stood in the Way of Getting There

Between the 300-plus free parking bays onsite and a bus stop right at the venue’s front door, there was no excuse not to make it along. Removing that friction matters — the logistics of getting somewhere can quietly put people off attending, long before the event itself even starts.

Coffee and Conversations

That kind of small gesture set the tone for the whole day — people lingering with a warm drink in hand, striking up conversations they might not have had otherwise, comparing notes on which stalls were worth a second look. It turned what could easily have been a walk-through-and-leave event into somewhere people actually wanted to stick around.

How does this connect to Ongoing NDIS Support

At Help at Hand Support Services, attending community disability expos is about more than simply showcasing our services. These events allow us to strengthen relationships within the local community, better understand the evolving needs of participants and families, and connect people with the supports that best suit their individual goals.

By participating in events like the Bendigo Community Disability Expo, we encourage informed choice, open conversations and stronger community connections. These experiences help us continue delivering personalised, high-quality NDIS support that empowers participants to live with greater independence, confidence and choice.

How does this connect to Ongoing NDIS Support

By participating in events like the Shepparton Community Disability Expo, we encourage informed choice, open conversations and stronger community connections. These experiences help us continue delivering personalised, high-quality NDIS support that empowers participants to live with greater independence, confidence and choice.