When Calie Green was 19 years old, she moved hundreds of kilometres away from her family in central Queensland in search of a better, more accessible life.

She had hoped to complete her studies at a university in Rockhampton, but there wasn’t enough support for people who are deaf.

But 20 years later, Ms Green, who now works as an Auslan teacher aide in schools, said she was shocked when she returned to her hometown to live.