Accessible concerts in Australia and NZ: Companion Card

If you need a support person to get to and enjoy a gig, the Companion Card is the first thing to sort out in Australia. It means your companion doesn't need to pay for a ticket at participating venues. The second thing is knowing that every big venue books accessible and companion seats a bit differently, and the process has changed at some arenas recently. Older advice that says "just tick a box" when you buy may not hold any more.

This guide pulls together what the NSW and Queensland Companion Card pages say, how a handful of major Australian and New Zealand venues handle bookings, and what's on offer for hearing, sensory needs and transport. Everything was checked on 3 October 2026. Venue processes change, so check the venue's own accessibility page before an on-sale. We're not connected to any venue, ticket seller or government program mentioned here.

Quick answers

What is the Companion Card and who can get one?

The NSW Government describes its Companion Card as being "for people with significant and permanent disability who have a lifelong need for attendant care support when accessing the community". At participating venues and events, the cardholder's support person gets in free.

Queensland spells out what "attendant care" means: "significant assistance with mobility, communication, self-care or learning". It doesn't cover a companion who provides "only social company, reassurance or encouragement". Queensland's eligibility also requires you to live in Queensland, to be unable to take part at most community venues without attendant care support, and for that need to be lifelong or likely lifelong. It isn't for a temporary disability.

A few things people often ask:

• It's free. NSW says "Companion Cards are free", though you pay for the passport-quality photos yourself. Queensland says its card is free and "not income or asset tested".
• Your companion isn't a fixed person. NSW says the cardholder chooses their support person "in each instance". Bring your partner to one show and a support worker to the next.
• It's not a replacement for venue access. NSW is clear that "The Companion Card was not developed to overcome or compensate for any venue's lack of accessibility." Making a venue accessible is still the operator's job.

We've only checked the NSW and Queensland pages. If you live in another state or territory, look up your local Companion Card program for its eligibility rules.

Does my Companion Card work in another state?

At affiliated venues, yes. NSW says "The NSW Companion Card is recognised at affiliates listed throughout Australia", and Queensland says "The Companion Card is recognised throughout Australia". NSW affiliates also agree to "accept a Companion Card issued in any Australian state or territory".

So if you live in Brisbane and fly to Melbourne for a show, your Queensland card should be accepted at an affiliated venue there. If you move interstate for good, Queensland says you can transfer your card to your new state.

The Sydney Opera House goes a step further. It accepts Australian Companion Cards for most performances and considers international cards case by case.

How do I apply, and how long does it take?

Start early. As of October 2026, the NSW page says applications "may take up to 18 weeks".

NSW applications are now online only. The page says "New postal and email applications will no longer be accepted after 1 July 2026." You'll need:

• a Health Professional Declaration (Part B), completed by your treating medical practitioner
• recent reports confirming your diagnosis and your lifelong need for attendant care
• a passport-style colour photo

Other states run their own applications, so check the details for where you live.

Which venues take the Companion Card?

NSW lists more than 1,000 affiliated businesses, searchable by keyword, postcode, category or region, including festivals and cinemas. Affiliates display the Companion Card logo and agree to "issue a minimum of 1 Companion Ticket at no charge to cardholders".

Queensland's advice is simple: "ask about the Companion Card program when booking a ticket" and "look for the Companion Card logo". It also says businesses that aren't formally affiliated may still accept the card once they've been told about the program. So it's always worth asking, even at a small room that isn't on the list.

Queensland's page also says the companion ticket is exempt from booking fees. We haven't confirmed that applies at every venue in every state.

How do I book wheelchair and companion seats at a concert?

This is where it gets venue-specific. There's no single button that works everywhere, and some arenas use a different channel for accessible bookings than for the general sale. Here's what several major venues' accessibility pages said as of 3 October 2026.

What that means in practice:

• Book the companion seat at the same time. Spark Arena says companion seating "must be reserved at the time of booking", and Brisbane Entertainment Centre issues Companion Card tickets at the time of booking. Don't count on adding a seat later.
• Have your card number handy. Afterpay Arena asks for the Companion Card number when you book. NSW affiliates are given security features to check cardholder details on phone bookings.
• Bring the card on the night. Afterpay Arena asks you to present it at the box office.
• Popular shows have limits. Brisbane Entertainment Centre limits wheelchair bookings to two per customer for popular events.
• Office hours matter. Afterpay Arena's line and the Brisbane Entertainment Centre inbox both run in weekday office hours, so plan around that.

The Qudos Bank Arena to Afterpay Arena rename is worth knowing. The old accessibility address now redirects to the Afterpay Arena site, but older articles will still use the Qudos name.

Smaller venues can be different again. Our Fortitude Music Hall guide and Palais Theatre guide cover how those rooms handle accessible seating and the Companion Card, and the Spark Arena guide goes into more detail on its wheelchair spaces. For outdoor shows in Brisbane, see the Riverstage guide.

What's a sunflower lanyard, and do concert venues recognise it?

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a way to quietly let staff know you might need a hand. In Afterpay Arena's words, "The sunflower symbol is globally recognised as representing non-visible disabilities." Brisbane Entertainment Centre says guests "may choose to wear a lanyard throughout an event to discreetly identify" that they may need extra help.

Plenty of big venues are on board. Brisbane Entertainment Centre hands out lanyards from Administration on Level 1, and RAC Arena and Eden Park also provide them at the venue. Rod Laver Arena, Spark Arena and Auckland Live all say they support the program.

Do arenas have hearing loops?

Many do, but the systems differ, and that changes what you bring.

• Induction loops. Auckland Live has hearing aid loops at The Civic, Aotea Centre, Auckland Town Hall and Bruce Mason Centre. Switch your hearing aids to "tele".
• Loop by booking. Brisbane Entertainment Centre has a hearing loop, but you need to book it in advance.
• FM headsets. Spark Arena uses an FM system with a headset. Request it before the show.
• Wi-Fi to your phone. Afterpay Arena streams sound through the Listen Everywhere app to your own device, with your hearing aid or headphones. RAC Arena also offers Wi-Fi hearing assistance on your own device.
• Venue receivers. Rod Laver Arena has hearing augmentation receivers at the Information Desk at Gate 4.

If you use a phone-based system, charge your phone and bring headphones. For loops and headsets, ask ahead rather than on arrival.

Brisbane Entertainment Centre offers Auslan interpreting at some events. In Auckland, Auckland Live runs NZSL-interpreted, audio-described and relaxed performances. Eden Park has the Aira visual interpreting app available onsite.

Are there sensory rooms or quiet spaces?

A few of the big arenas now have them:

• Rod Laver Arena: a sensory room opposite Door 9, plus sensory bags on loan from the Gate 4 Information Desk with noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools and weighted lap pads.
• Afterpay Arena: a sensory room on Level 1, outside Door 21.
• RAC Arena: a Quiet Room on Level 1, noise-excluding headphones, and a priority entry lane at Entry A.
• Eden Park: a sensory room on Level 3 of the South Stand, and free earplugs at sound sensitivity stations.

What about parking and drop-off?

Book early where you can. Spark Arena's mobility parking is limited to mobility pass holders, reserved by email, and the venue warns "Parks often fill up months in advance." Eden Park allocates mobility parking for major events by ballot.

Elsewhere:

• Rod Laver Arena: accessible parking is booked through AXS. Drop-off and pick-up is at the Northern Car Park.
• Afterpay Arena: pre-booked mobility parking in P1.
• Brisbane Entertainment Centre: drop-off zones at Gates A and B.
• RAC Arena: ACROD bays are first come, first served, near the Milligan Street mobility entrance.
• Spark Arena: drop-off on Quay Street.
• Sydney Opera House: an accessible courtesy bus or buggy runs between Circular Quay and the precinct. The venue also has access maps and "accessible journeys" videos you can watch before you go.

Our city guides cover transport options in more detail: see Melbourne, Brisbane and Wellington.

Is there a Companion Card in New Zealand?

The Companion Card is an Australian scheme, and we didn't find an NZ equivalent in the sources we checked. NZ venues handle companion seating through their own booking process instead. Spark Arena says companion seating "must be reserved at the time of booking". Auckland Live provides companion seats with accessible bookings. Eden Park has accessible and companion seating in its North and South stands, with 152 wheelchair spaces. Tell the venue or ticket seller you need a companion seat when you book, and ask how it works for that show.

Total Mobility for getting to gigs

Auckland Transport describes Total Mobility as "a national scheme supporting people with impairments to travel within their region". It's run by regional councils, and the rules differ between regions.

• Auckland: Total Mobility gives 65% off taxi fares, up to a per-trip cap. Auckland Transport also lists an Accessible concession of 40% off buses, trains and ferries, and free companion travel on buses. Eligibility covers residents "unable to complete one or more stages of a journey, due to a long- or short-term disability". You're assessed through a partner agency, which may charge, and the card arrives by post in about 15 days.
• Wellington: Metlink subsidises 65% of the fare up to a per-trip cap. Wheelchair-accessible taxis cost no extra; tell the operator when you book. The in-person assessment takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and you'll get a decision in writing within ten days. Metlink's eligibility wording refers to a "permanent" impairment, which is narrower than Auckland's.

If you live elsewhere in NZ, check with your regional council.

Common questions

Can I use my Companion Card to book online? Sometimes. Rod Laver Arena takes Companion Card bookings online through AXS, and RAC Arena lists Ticketek online as one option. Others, like Brisbane Entertainment Centre and the Sydney Opera House, use their own booking service or a phone line. Check the venue's accessibility page for each show.

Do I need to bring the card to the show? Yes, bring it. Afterpay Arena asks cardholders to present the card at the Ticket Box Office, and other venues may check it too.

What if the venue isn't a Companion Card affiliate? Ask anyway. Queensland says businesses that aren't formally affiliated may still accept the card once they know about the program.

Will my companion sit next to me? That's the point of booking companion seating with your accessible ticket. Spark Arena and Auckland Live both pair companion seats with accessible bookings, and the Sydney Opera House has wheelchair and companion seating locations in all its theatres. Confirm it when you book.