Louie Bartold was only six months old when he was given his first white cane.
"Back then, it was more of a toy than a tool, but the guidance we were given was that it was about making him familiar with it," his mother Scarlett Koehne said.
Louie Bartold was given his first cane long before he could even properly use it. (Supplied)
"Although, he couldn't use it and didn't know really what it was, he kind of just got used to holding it, the weight of it."
The now four-year-old was born blind and started using his cane — which he has affectionately named Sneezy — as a tool when he was around 18 months old.
"I just burst with pride when I see him using his white cane," Ms Koehne said.
"The cane gives him confidence to move about the space without holding someone's hands, so he can go further with his exploration."
Ms Koehne is one of many advocates calling for greater awareness around the mobility challenges faced by people with low vision or blindness.
Celebrating International White Cane Day
October 15 is International White Cane Day.
Guide Dogs Victoria chief executive Nicky Long said the day highlighted the role of white canes in "fostering independence for people who are blind and have low vision".
"It's not just about actually the cane itself. It's about prompting accessibility inclusion and the right for everyone to navigate the world freely and confidently," she said.
Nicky Long says International White Cane Day is about highlighting the challenges blind and low vision people may face in society. (Supplied)
There are more than half a million people across Australia living with low vision and blindness, who rely on the support of guide dogs and white canes.
An Ernst and Young report commissioned by Guide Dogs Australia shows 96 per cent of people surveyed with low vision and blindness still face obstacles in public spaces that impact their day to day lives.
The most common obstacles were overhanging branches, new road works, as well as e-scooters and e-bikes left on footpaths.
"If you can imagine, people are navigating through communities thinking it's a clear space on a footpath, but when it's cluttered, it creates something in the way where it may not be familiar, or, in fact, end up being quite dangerous," Ms Long said.
Ms Long said it was an important day to showcase the issues affecting people who were blind or had low vision.
"It is everyone's right to be safe and included, and it is a human right to be able to navigate through your community without coming into harm's way," she said.
Push for consistent policies and clearer paths
The call for clear footpaths is not a new trend.
Chris Edwards is the government relations and advocacy director for Vision Australia, and said the push for clear pathways had been ongoing for the last 20 years.
"One of the challenges is that a lot of councils have by-laws around street furniture and a-frames, but the enforcement's not always there," he said.
Mr Edwards said all councils should have consistent policies that were enforced.
"If I'm using a cane, I would generally walk down my local shopping strip … when it's clear of obstruction, I can do this with ease and with confidence," he said.
Chris Edwards says advocates have pushed for councils to keep pathways clear for decades. (Supplied: Vision Australia)
He said obstacles like e-scooters on footpaths, dining furniture and overhanging trees could make it challenging to move freely in the community.
"But it also can create embarrassment, where you're walking along and you're basically hitting somebody that's sitting down in a chair trying to just have a quiet cup of coffee," he said.
Taking the first steps of independence
While Louie is not yet old enough to walk the streets alone, Ms Koehne said she has become more aware of unexpected obstacles particularly e-scooters and e-bikes, "in anticipation of when Louie grows older".
Louie with his cane, which he has named Sneezy. (ABC News)
Ms Koehne said as someone who had used e-bikes and e-scooters herself, she was not calling for them to disappear altogether, but rather for dedicated parking bays similar to bike racks.
"Even just if you're a regular person, a passer-by, you're on your commute, whatever it is, and you see an obstacle in the pathway … doing your bit as a Good Samaritan and helping to move it out of the way, rather than just navigating yourself around it," she said.
Louie is taking those first steps, with his family, Guide Dogs Victoria and of course Sneezy by his side.
"Sneezy was such a great name for Louie's last cane that … the most current one has also been named Sneezy," Ms Koehne said.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he got to adulthood and his cane was still called Sneezy."
Scarlett Koehne says she is more aware of obstacles Louie may face in the community once he is older. (Supplied)
Source: ABC