Emu Gully Adventure Education Group

What Emu Gully Adventure Education Group does

Emu Gully Adventure Education Group is a private Australian outdoor education company founded in 1995 by Barry Rodgers OAM and operating since 1996 from its original Helidon Spa campus in the Lockyer Valley, Queensland. It delivers story-driven, ANZAC-themed adventure education programs for schools (primary and secondary), corporate and sporting teams, families, and youth development programs, built around a values framework of Courage, Mateship, Sacrifice, and Perseverance. Core programs include The Challenge (cabin-based, up to 250 participants, Year 4+), The Adventure (camping/swags, Year 6+), Ubuntu (village-building), the premium The Advantage (corporate/adult leadership), Ernie's Journey (Prep to Year 4), and bespoke Choose Your Own Adventure experiences, delivered across two physical sites (Helidon and the new Tamborine campus opened in 2024).

Name

Emu Gully Adventure Education Group

Legal name

Emu Gully Adventure Education Group

Website

https://emugully.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Emu Gully is a Queensland-based outdoor education company delivering ANZAC-themed adventure programs for schools, corporate teams, and families from its Helidon and Tamborine campuses, with a 30-year heritage and multi-program portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Education Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB), Corporate Outdoor Training & Team-Building Programs (Experiential Learning) (THAAAOAE), Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG)

Keywords

• Outdoor education programs
• School camp experiences
• Leadership development programs
• Team building activities
• Adventure education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Helidon Spa

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Adventure Education Programs: Customised camping and outdoor education programs for schools, corporate groups, sporting teams and community organisations. Programs are priced based on group size, dates, camp location, activities, and year level. Fully catered accommodation and activity packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Emu Gully Adventure Education Group delivers fully catered, multi-day outdoor adventure education programs across two Queensland sites (Helidon and Tamborine), embedding Australian ANZAC heritage and historical military campaigns into physical team-building activities for school, corporate, sporting, youth award, and family groups. Programs are customised by group size, year level, duration, and learning outcomes, with accommodation in cabins (up to 250) or camping (up to 200), and bundled with meals, activities, and facilitated reflection grounded in a character framework of Courage, Mateship, Sacrifice, and Perseverance.

Product overview

Emu Gully Adventure Education Group offers a multi-site outdoor education platform delivering transformative experiences through story-driven challenges. The core portfolio includes three signature programs: The Challenge (cabin-based leadership program for up to 250), The Adventure (authentic camping experience for Year 6+), and Ubuntu (village-building program). Additional offerings include The Explore for younger students, The Advantage premium adult program, and custom Choose Your Own Adventure options. The organization operates two distinct locations: Helidon (original campus with The Challenge and The Adventure) and Tamborine (adventure camping site with The Tamborine Experience). All programs emphasize character development through the values of Courage, Mateship, Sacrifice, and Perseverance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Challenge Fully catered cabin-based leadership and team-building program at the Helidon campus for up to 250 participants, designed for groups from Year 4 and beyond. Activities include introductory challenges, core historical activities (Western Front, Siege of Tobruk, Bridge over River Kwai, Tunnel Rats of Vietnam, Hellfire Pass, Kokoda Track, Night Walk), and electives such as paintball and buggies.
• The Adventure Authentic swag/tent camping experience at Helidon for up to 200 participants, designed for groups from Year 6 and older. Participants prepare communal meals and engage in historical campaign-based activities including the Malayan Campaign, Beersheba, Tank, Templeton's Crossing, and Bringing up the Guns, developing resilience, independence and leadership.
• The Advantage Premium 1-3 day tailored program designed specifically for adult, corporate, sporting and high-performing teams, incorporating current leadership, team-building and communication models with customised activities.
• Ubuntu 2-3 day village-building program in which participants work together to construct their own campsite, including 10-15 km of walking, equipment location activities, communal cooking and bonding experiences. Aligned with Duke of Edinburgh Award requirements and Rites of Passage ceremonies.
• The Explore (Ernie's Journey) One-day outdoor experience for Prep to Year 4 explorers featuring guided story-based adventure with Ernie the Emu, discovery activities, sensory exploration, journaling, and a take-home illustrated storybook, with optional campfire and all meals provided.
• Choose Your Own Adventure Bespoke program tailored to unique group needs and goals, including options for Rites of Passage, Campout Experiences, Retreats, Team-Building and Family Bonding experiences.
• The Tamborine Experience Adventure camping experience at the Tamborine Mountain site blending historical context with purpose-driven outcomes, embodying Courage, Mateship, Sacrifice and Perseverance values; participants stay in tents while staff are accommodated in cabins.

Quantifiable outcome

• Positive change in quality of communication - students believe they can talk more openly and honestly with peers after camp
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Relational Schools FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Research partnership to measure the impact of Emu Gully programs on student relationships. Conducted study with Year 11 students from Toowoomba Christian College showing positive outcomes in communication, loyalty, respect, and group commitment after camp experiences.
• New Hope CambodiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Australian Industry Trade College and New Hope Cambodia for humanitarian construction trips to Cambodia, building houses for families in need while providing team members with global perspective.
• Duke of Edinburgh AwardsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUbuntu program aligned with Duke of Edinburgh Award requirements, supporting youth development through adventure-based activities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• World Challenge Australia: Provider of school group expeditions and adventure programs both domestically and overseas, including leadership and team-building experiences. Comparable in the school outdoor education market but with a stronger expedition/travel focus versus Emu Gully's site-based model.
• YMCA Camps Australia: YMCA operates multiple residential camp and outdoor education sites across Australia (including school holiday and school group programs). Broader incumbent with scale advantages, multiple sites and a recognised national brand, but less specialised in the ANZAC-themed curriculum niche.

Regional players

• Spirit of Adventure (NZ): New Zealand-based outdoor education and youth development provider running residential programs including leadership and character development for schools and youth. Operates across the Tasman with a comparable experiential learning model.
• The Outdoor School (NSW): NSW Department of Education-operated outdoor education centre delivering curriculum-linked residential programs for school groups. Comparable school-camp residential model with similar curriculum alignment, but state-owned and NSW-focused rather than Queensland.

Direct peers

• Quest Skills for Life: Australian provider of outdoor education camps and life-skills programs for school and youth groups, with historical and leadership themes. Comparable offering to Emu Gully's The Challenge and The Adventure programs in the school camp segment.
• Big Bear Adventures: Queensland-based outdoor education and adventure camp provider serving schools with multi-day programs including historical, leadership and team-building activities. Closest geographic and product competitor to Emu Gully in the SE Queensland school camp market.
• LifeChanger Outdoors: Australian outdoor education charity running camps and programs for at-risk and disadvantaged youth focused on resilience, leadership and character development. Comparable mission-driven, story-driven outdoor education model targeting youth outcomes.
• Outdoor Education Group (OEG): Australia's largest provider of outdoor and experiential education programs for schools, offering multi-day camps and curriculum-linked adventure experiences. Direct competitor in the school outdoor education space with a broader geographic footprint across Victoria, NSW and beyond.

Others

• Australian Camps Association: Industry association representing camp and outdoor education providers across Australia. Not a direct competitor, but a key ecosystem/benchmarking body whose membership overlaps heavily with Emu Gully's competitive set.

Emerging players

• JCA Adventure Education: Australian school camp and outdoor education operator focused on year-level camps, leadership and team-building for primary and secondary schools. Overlaps with Emu Gully's Challenge and Adventure programs, with growing presence in the same customer segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/emugully
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emu-gully-adventure-education-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Emu Gully Adventure Education Group