House with No Steps was founded in 1962 by Lionel Watts CMG, MBE and his wife Dorothy Watts OAM.

Lionel became a severe quadriplegic as a result of one of Australia’s last polio epidemics. After experiencing firsthand the appalling standard of services available for people with a disability, Lionel Watts resolved to do something about it. Shortly after, House With No Steps was formed.

Lionel Watts was a true innovator and passed on his spirit of entrepreneurship to the organisation he founded. Nearly 50 years later we continue to develop new services and support to better meet the needs of people with a disability.

Read more about our history and Lionel Watts

Celebrating 50 years!

This year we are celebrating 50 years of empowering people with a disability.  Over the past 50 years we have provided training, support, opportunity and advice to tens of thousands of people with a disability, their families and carers.  We have helped change community, government and business attitudes towards people with a disability and worked hard to create a more just and equitable Australian society.

Read about our beginnings and rich history in our  commemorative_book 6.58 Mb