We are proud to welcome Carol Taylor as an Ambassador for the 2026 Gold Coast Disability Expo, taking place Friday 5 & Saturday 6 June at the Coomera Indoor Sports Centre.
Carol Taylor is an artist, designer, lawyer and disability advocate living as a quadriplegic following a life‑changing accident in 2001. Her spinal cord was severed, resulting in complete paralysis from the chest down. Despite only having limited arm movement and no functional use of her hands or fingers, Carol was determined to find purpose, beauty and possibility in her new reality.
With no background in art prior to her injury, she began an unexpected creative journey encouraged by her husband Rob. Alongside her creative work, she reignited her legal career after a 14‑year break. Admitted to the Supreme Court of NSW in 1993, she went on to found Taylor Law & Conveyancing in 2015. Drawn to the accessibility of electronic settlements, Carol became an early advocate for e‑conveyancing, pioneering the PEXA platform in Queensland. Her firm made history with the state’s first simultaneous electronic settlement between properties 1,200 kilometers apart, and in 2021 she was named Queensland Law Society Regional Practitioner of the Year
Despite running a legal practice, Carol never stopped creating. Shopping as a wheelchair user often felt isolating, with traditional fashion failing to consider seated bodies, medical devices, dexterity challenges and pressure‑care needs. She began designing clothing for herself and, after receiving the Access Arts Achievement Award in 2018, brought her artwork to fabric. “I design adaptive fashion that gives the disability community the choice to wear what they want, not just what they’re given,” she says.
Her adaptive fashion label debuted at the 2019 Mercedes‑Benz Fashion Festival Brisbane, marking the first time an all‑visible disability cast of models appeared on a national runway. Her designs have since been exhibited in galleries across Australia and internationally. A career‑defining moment came in 2022 at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week, where Carol presented the Unwrapped Collection as part of Australia’s first adaptive runway show.
Beyond art, fashion and law, Carol is a committed advocate. She currently serves as a Non‑Executive Director of Spinal Life Australia, is a founding member of the Queensland Law Society Diverse Abilities Network and has also served on the board of Arts Access Australia. Carol is a bold advocate for disability inclusion, particularly when it comes to equal access to health care for people with disability.
As Ambassador for the Gold Coast Disability Expo, Carol is most excited about visibility, connection and the momentum these events can create
“Any opportunity to put a spotlight on disability is a step forward there are so many people on the Gold Coast living with disability or caring for someone with disability. Events like this make support and information far more accessible,” she explains.
As she looks ahead to the Expo, Carol hopes visitors leave feeling positive, empowered and more resilient. “I think the main thing to take away from any of these events really is positivity,” she says. Drawing on her own lived experience, Carol speaks openly about the importance of seeing practical ways forward. “If you can go to an event like this that shows you ways forward, ways that can make your life easier. It makes you feel more positive about yourself and increases your resilience. The power of resilience is so underestimated.”
The Gold Coast Disability Expo brings together dozens of disability service providers, support organisations and community groups, offering access to NDIS supports, allied health, assistive technology, housing, education, employment, recreation and more.
Designed with accessibility at its core, the Expo features live captioning on stage, Auslan interpreters, a Quiet Hour on Saturday from 9am–10am, service animal‑friendly spaces, accessible parking and drop‑off zones, and free wheelchair hire on site.
Catch Carol live on stage on Friday, 5 June at 11:00 am.
Held in the Coomera Indoor Sports Centre, Friday 5 & Saturday 6 June, the Expo is free to attend. Register at www.goldcoastdisabilityexpo.com.au/attend-expo/
Learn more about Carol’s amazing work at www.caroltaylordesigns.com.au/