Wheelchair-bound boy ticks off bucket list trip to Cape York with help of local police

Reaching the northern-most point on the Australian continent is on the bucket list for many people, but the achievement was one faced with particular difficulty for a nine-year-old boy with cerebral palsy.

The trek to the tip of Cape York was made possible for wheelchair-bound boy Sidney Cook and his family, with the help of police officers from the remote Cape York town of Bamaga, who carried him there on a purpose-built chair.

Back in June, the Cook family sought advice, through a local Facebook page, on how to get Sidney to the tip of the Cape York sign during the family's trip to Far North Queensland, planned in August.

Reaching the tip of Australia was on the bucket list of his parents Narelle and Gary for 15 years, which became complicated when their son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at just three-months-old.

More recently, the family's dream of making it to the iconic landmark looked certain to drift away after Narelle underwent knee injury and Gary had back surgery.

Determined to make their dream a reality, Gary put the question of logistics to the Cape York Adventure Facebook page, in the hope a local might know how they could get a permit to drive Sidney as close as possible to the sign.

Bamaga Police acting senior constable Talina O’Brien wasted no time in getting in touch with the family to put a plan in action.

"We had guys come in on their days off wanting to be a part of it," O’Brien said.

"We had a local gentleman construct a perfect little lift-chair for Sidney so he was set up nice and comfortably and we could carry him down to the sign."

Constable O'Brien said she was honoured to be a part of the Cook Family's adventure, and there were many tears of joy shed once Sidney reached the sign.

"It was awesome seeing Sidney's little face light up as we came over the ridge and up ahead we could see the tip sign. It wasn't far away and we were nearly there.

“It was an awesome day for all of us and an absolute privilege to be a part of this journey,” she said.

“Sidney might be paralysed from the waist down but he has a massive heart and an even bigger smile.

"He told us that he loves soccer and music - but nothing compares to adventuring with his mum and dad."

Sidney's mother was overwhelmed with the response from the local police in making the family's dream a reality.

“We didn’t know what to expect, to turn up on the day and have the entire team from Bamaga Police station there with a specially made chair for Sidney left us lost for words,” Narelle said.

“Words will never be able to express how much we appreciate the assistance that the Bamaga Police gave us, I don’t think we will ever be able to thank them enough for everything they have done.”

Constable Nick Derozairo said it was heartwarming to be part of helping someone who has come so far to get to the top "and see what we see every day".

"It's one of the best part of community policing to be able to help people and not just be there when people are doing the wrong thing. It's nice to be able to help people to do some something they wouldn't be able to do otherwise," he said.