Cherie McConville, who is completing her doctorate in business administration, has created different prototypes and had already approached and found support from various stakeholders in Dunedin.
The park would cover several acres of bushland and include a range of features such as a mudslide, a high wire and a tree canopy walk - and would ideally be situated somewhere near the city centre.
If it went ahead, it would be the first of its kind in New Zealand.
Ms McConville said the idea of having an adventure park accessible to everyone originally sprang from her own family's experience.
Her 12-year-old daughter Poppy had cerebral palsy.
However, the more people and groups she spoke to in the community, the more she realised everyone, not just people who were differently-abled, faced challenges of some kind when it came to getting into the outdoors - whether it was their age, physical or mental health, income or the time it took to travel.
"I guess that's what drives me, helping people become all that they can be," Ms McConville said.
"It's also combining my passions.
"There's so much research on what activity in the great outdoors does for your wellbeing."
While some of the activities in the park would be open to anyone and free of charge, others - particularly those which were more high risk - would become part of a specific programme.
She had spoken to hundreds of people in the course of her research, and after completing her thesis at the end of this year she planned to develop her business case, establish an advisory board and undergo further consultation with the community.
As part of her research, Ms McConville visited the popular Area 47 adventure park in Tirol, Austria, as well as Morgan's Wonderland in San Antonio, in Texas, which was specifically geared towards people with disabilities, to gain inspiration.
"First and foremost it's focused on inclusiveness, rather than inclusiveness being an afterthought," she said.
At Morgan's Wonderland a third of all staff were differently-abled, and Ms McConville said she intended her park would also provide employment or training opportunities for people who would otherwise have trouble finding work.
She said she had already received some interest from the Dunedin City Council, and was keen to work using the cycling and walking tracks already in Dunedin.
Ms McConville said she was predicting it might be built using a minimum viable product method, but planned the park would eventually have a cafe and accommodation.
