Somerset Outdoor Learning Centre

What Somerset Outdoor Learning Centre does

Somerset Outdoor Learning Centre (legal entity Camp Somerset Pty Ltd) is a family-owned outdoor education provider founded in 1981 and headquartered at a single camp site at 411 Upper Colo Road, Colo, NSW, with an administrative office in Waitara, NSW. The company delivers overnight outdoor education camps for primary and secondary schools and structured Adventurous Journey expeditions at Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels for participants of the Duke of Edinburgh International Award. Operations are built around experiential learning activities (climbing, hiking, expedition work) in the Colo Valley, approximately 60km from the Sydney CBD, with the company self-positioning as the benchmark for outdoor learning in NSW.

The core technology footprint is minimal: the company operates a Joomla-based marketing website with school-specific login credentials for camp bookings, an online retail store (Somerset Store) integrated with the Eway payment gateway for equipment hire and purchases, and a Facebook page for organic social engagement. No proprietary platform, mobile application, API, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. Field operations are delivered by qualified staff holding Certificate IV in Outdoor Recreation, supported by a dedicated Staff and Training Officer.

Revenue is generated through four streams: school camp program fees (negotiated directly with schools), Duke of Edinburgh expedition registration fees, equipment hire bundled at Bronze/Silver/Gold levels, and equipment/gear retail sales via the online store. Pricing for school programs and expedition registrations is not publicly disclosed; equipment hire ranges from $25 to $40 per item depending on expedition level, and retail gear ranges from $3.50 (Delta Spork) to $169 (TAS Urban Cougar Rucksack). The customer base spans 80+ named schools across NSW plus individual open-expedition registrants, with no single-customer concentration disclosed. Current active headcount is approximately 10 employees, though the company states it has employed thousands across its 35+ year history.

Name

Somerset Outdoor Learning Centre

Legal name

Camp Somerset Pty Ltd

Website

https://campsomerset.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Somerset Outdoor Learning Centre is a family-owned outdoor education provider founded in 1981 and based in Colo, NSW, Australia. It delivers overnight school camps and Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions to NSW primary, secondary, and independent schools, serving 80+ named school partners and individual expedition registrants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Education Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

School Group & Curriculum-Led Trips (THAKAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG), Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)

Keywords

• Outdoor education programs
• School camp experiences
• Duke of edinburgh expeditions
• Experiential learning services
• Outdoor gear retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Colo

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. School Camp Programs: Fees charged to schools for structured outdoor learning camp programs, including qualified Somerset staff supervision, activities, and catering. Pricing is negotiated directly with schools.
2. Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions: Registration fees for structured adventurous journey expeditions at Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. Each expedition fee includes qualified Somerset staff accompaniment and program delivery.
3. Equipment Hire: Additional equipment hire (sleeping bags, mats, rucksacks, tent space) is offered as an add-on at school camps and Duke of Ed expeditions. Hire pricing varies by program level (Bronze/Silver/Gold).
4. Equipment and Gear Sales: Online store selling outdoor gear (head torches, water bottles, rain jackets, sleeping bags, thermals, travel towels, compass, map cases, freeze-dried meals, camp kitchen sets) to participants. Gear is labelled with participant names and provided at camp.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Somerset Outdoor Learning Centre provides overnight outdoor education school camps for primary and secondary schools, delivered from its Colo Valley base in NSW, covering activities such as climbing, hiking, and experiential learning programs. It also operates structured Bronze, Silver, and Gold level expeditions for the Adventurous Journey component of The Duke of Edinburgh International Award, both as school-arranged programs and open holidays expeditions for individual participants. An ancillary Somerset Store sells or hires outdoor gear (rucksacks, sleeping bags, mats, rain jackets, head torches, freeze-dried meals) bundled with program registration.

Product overview

Somerset Outdoor Learning Centre operates as a single unified outdoor education service offering structured school camp programs and Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. The core offering includes overnight school camps for primary and secondary students, and formal Adventurous Journey expeditions at Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. An add-on equipment store enables participants to hire or purchase required outdoor gear. The company has provided these services since the early 1980s and is a family-owned business based in NSW, Australia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School Camps Overnight outdoor education programs for primary and secondary schools, providing experiential learning experiences in a natural camp setting at Colo, NSW, with qualified Somerset staff supervision, activities, and catering.
• Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions Structured expeditions at Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels for students completing their Adventurous Journey as part of The Duke of Edinburgh International Award, available as both school-arranged programs and open expeditions during school holidays.
• Somerset Store Equipment Hire and Retail Online equipment hire and purchase platform for camp participants, offering rental and sale of outdoor gear including sleeping bags, mats, tents, rucksacks, rain jackets, head torches, freeze-dried meals, and expedition meal sets, processed via Eway payments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students develop grit — passion and perseverance for long-term and meaningful goals — identified as a significant predictor of success and healthy mental capacity, independent of talent and intelligence.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers60 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Duke of Edinburgh International AwardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSomerset Outdoor Learning Centre is a registered provider for the Adventurous Journey component of The Duke of Edinburgh International Award. The company delivers Bronze, Silver, and Gold level expeditions, both as school-arranged programs and open expeditions during school holidays. Somerset has been supporting students completing their Adventurous Journey since the early 1980s.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Bilpin Springs Lodge: NSW Blue Mountains school camp and conference venue offering outdoor programs to Sydney and regional schools. Comparable customer segment and program type, with geographic overlap in the greater Sydney basin.
• Camp Goodenough: School camp facility operating in NSW with overnight outdoor education programs. Targets similar school cohorts with comparable adventure-led programming.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA NSW – Camping & Outdoor Education: Established national youth organization running school camps and outdoor education programs across multiple NSW sites. Larger and broader-scope competitor with greater geographic reach but a less specialized outdoor adventure focus than Somerset.

Direct peers

• Outward Bound Australia: National outdoor education and adventure provider delivering school camps, Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, and youth leadership programs. Direct competitor for NSW school outdoor education contracts and DoE Adventurous Journey delivery.
• Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures: Large NSW outdoor adventure centre on the Central Coast offering school camps, group programs, kayaking, horse riding, and quad biking. Competes for the same school excursion and group outdoor education budgets within driving distance of Sydney.
• The Collaroy Centre: Sydney-based school camp and outdoor education centre serving primary and secondary schools across NSW. Competes for the same Sydney private and public school outdoor education budget as Somerset.
• The Tops Outdoor Education Centre: NSW outdoor education provider focused on school camps, team-building, and adventure programs. Comparable program mix (school camps + adventure activities) and customer segment (NSW schools) to Somerset.
• Australian Outdoor Education: Outdoor education provider delivering school camp programs in NSW and named as a partner/customer in Somerset's ecosystem. Directly comparable program offering, delivery model, and school-segment focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/campsomerset
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/somerset-outdoor-learning-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Somerset Outdoor Learning Centre