Community connection for the vision impaired

Feature photo: Stephen Reynolds
Photo description: Carole sits at her computer getting ready to listen to the latest edition

SINCE JANUARY this year, the Diary’s editorial team has been producing high-quality audio recordings of all articles printed in both the Warrandyte Diary and Manningham-Nillumbik Bulletin.
JOZICA KUTIN spoke to two local residents who are now able to enjoy the Diary despite vision impairments.

Grabbing a copy of the Diary each month is part of being and living in Warrandyte.
But what happens when you can no longer read print?
What happens when you can no longer read your beloved copy of The Diary?
The Lions Club of Warrandyte funded a project this year to create an audio version of all articles in the Diary and the Manningham and Nillumbik Bulletin to improve access for people with vision impairment or print disability.
Local resident, Carole Adis has been reading the Diary ever since she moved to Warrandyte:

“We moved here into our new home in 1969, I don’t know when it started, but we’ve been reading it since then, if it was around then.
“I used to read the Diary more or less from cover to cover.
“It’s a very good paper.”

However, in recent years, Carole has developed macular degeneration and has lost all but a tiny amount of vision in her right eye.
Carole’s vision impairment has had a significant impact on her day-to-day life.

“I have peripheral vision in both eyes, which allows me to see shapes, people, colours, things, go for a walk, see cars, but I can’t see details.
“And it’s been a couple of years or more since I was able to read print.”

Carole now relies on her husband Alf to read sections of the Diary to her, but given her use of audio books from Vision Australia, she was keen to know more about the audio version of the Diary — the “Podcast” or “Audio Editions”.

We navigate to the Apple Podcast App on her phone and start playing one of last month’s articles titled Art to Art: Tony Mellen Scuptor.
Immediately, on hearing the article, Carole’s face lights up and she smiles as she listens.

“Is that his real voice?
“It doesn’t sound like a real voice.
“It’s too good.”

In fact, it was read by the Diary’s editors.
We start to listen to the next article by Carly Lunt, read by one of the Diary’s volunteer readers from the Warrandyte Arts Association.
Again, Carole notes the quality of the narration, and there is a clear sense now that she need not miss out on the Diary anymore.

“Well, it was good.
“It was telling me what was written in the Diary.”

Tony, another long-time Warrandyte resident, is also experiencing worsening vision.
He is no longer able to read the paper version and accessing the digital version of the Diary is becoming increasingly difficult.
Some weeks ago, I told Tony about the audio versions on the Warrandyte Diary webpage and asked what he thought of it.
Tony said,

“Well, I found them very helpful.
“It saved me struggling around to try to read them [on the website] and they were very clear.
“They were good — well read.”

The recent Australian Eye and Ear Health Survey found that five per cent of Australians have bilateral vision impairment (that is, loss of vision in both eyes).
But when we look at the data for people over 80 years of age, vision loss in both eyes is at its peak: 19.6 per cent for Indigenous Australians and 11.7 per cent for non-Indigenous adults.
All editions of the 2025 Warrandyte Diary and Manningham & Nillumbik Bulletin are now in audio format – all in all about 800 articles.
The articles are read by Rebecca Rose, Diary Office and Advertising Manager, who has also credits as a film and stage performer, the Diary Editors, Sandi Miller and James Poyner, volunteers from the Warrandyte Arts Association Adrian and Hazel Rice, and sometimes the authors themselves, in a professional recording studio.
I asked both Tony and Carole — what could be done to improve access to this resource.
Tony said,

“I would never have found out about them had it not been for the fact that you told me about them.
“So, I had no idea, and I suppose if it was publicised in the Diary that these things were available, then the information, even had I not read it, somebody would’ve told me about it probably.
“Well, really it needs to be known generally so that somebody who is helping with the vision problems knows about it and can refer you to it and show you how to use it.”

Carole was equally enthusiastic about getting the word out.

“Well, I think they need to have a big leaflet inside the Diary with big writing to attract people’s attention and how to do it, how to set it up on your phone.
“I think rather than write a paragraph or something which is overlooked, if you want people to use it, know it’s there, then it needs to be a full page with big writing, not very much of it either.”

The funding from the Lions Club of Warrandyte has been instrumental in creating the high-quality audio version of the Diary and M&N Bulletin.
More funding is being sought to continue the recordings, but to also improve the visual accessibility of the Diary webpage and developing a program to facilitate uptake and use of the audio–Diary for people with vision impairment.
Losing eyesight, and losing access to the Diary, can lead to a loss of connection with our local community and exacerbate isolation.
The audio-version of the Diary goes some way to keeping people connected to what’s happening in our great community.
You can access the audio editions through the Diary website (select Audio Editions from the menu) or directly through Soundcloud, YouTube, Podcast Addict, Spotify, iHeart Radio, or Apple Podcasts.
Just search “Reading of the Manningham & Nillumbik Bulletin” or “Reading of the Warrandyte Diary articles”.
If you would like to know more about the audio version, would like to volunteer to read, or coach a vision impaired person to access the site, please contact the Editors via email at editor@warrandytediary.com.au.